The Mission
by ScarsOfTime
Summary: It was like all missions.  He wasn't supposed to feel emotions.  Especially for her.  How wrong he was.  AU NaruHina
1. Chapter 1

**Hello again, how's everyone doing? This is my first attempt at a multi-chapter Naruto story, so bare with me. This is AU, so Naruto will be OoC, but hopefully in a good way :) The characters will be between 18-21 years old in this story. On a side note, thank you to those who read, reviewed and even favorited my one-shots, you have no idea how much that means to me. Anyways, I've rambled enough, so on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. This applies to all chapters in this story.**

* * *

It was another day in the village of Konoha, and to him it could not have mattered a single bit. Everywhere he looked there were people talking, laughing, and enjoying themselves. Kids were playing in the streets with not a care in the world, oblivious to the many dangers that happened every second. The vendors were out shouting to passerby's to buy their wares, and the streets were just bustling with people going about their way to get to work or whatever the hell they did. It always seemed to be sunny and clear, adding to the cheerful atmosphere that the village held.

Quite frankly, he hated it.

It was the same routine every day. He would wake up, shower, get dressed, have a quick breakfast, and head on out to the office. On the way he would receive looks from the others, some of hate, some of fear, and others of indifference. He couldn't care less what these people thought of him, they didn't concern him. All that mattered was himself and the next job.

In no time at all it seemed he was already setting foot through the door of the large building. Actually, to him it seemed more like a tower than anything else, as it stood tall over all the small homes and businesses and was visible from a few miles at least. He walked up to the front desk and gave the secretary, a strange pink haired girl, his identification card.

"Uzumaki reporting in."

"Ever the formal one, aren't you Naruto? Go ahead and have a seat, the boss will be right with you," the girl, Haruno Sakura, exclaimed cheerfully as she handed him his card back. He found it a bit annoying that she could be so peppy this early in the morning.

With a slight nod of his head, he turned and leaned back in the nearest seat he could find. Naruto surveyed his surroundings. Usually the place was bustling with various other mercenaries waiting for a job to be assigned, but today it was devoid of the many life forms that usually roamed around. Not that he minded, the quieter the better for him. He gave a slight sigh and leaned further back into his chair, throwing his arms back behind his head and closed his eyes. He may as well get comfortable while he had to wait for 'the boss' to finish with whomever else was seeing her.

"Naruto?" a voice called a few minutes later. He looked up towards the secretary's desk and stood up.

"Lady Tsunade will see you now."

"Thanks," he said quietly and walked through the large double-doors next to the desk.

* * *

"Ah, Naruto. I've been expecting you." 

As he walked into the familiar office, Naruto was greeted by his employer. She was, to say the least, a busty woman whose beauty was only matched by her temper, not to mention her ungodly strength. That was one of the reasons why she ran this mercenary company in the first place.

"Hn." The young man took his usual place in front of her desk, as he refused to sit, a sign that he wanted his visits brief and to the point. He locked his brilliant blue eyes with her golden ones and waited for her to speak.

"Business as usual, eh? Alright, I'll get to the point," the buxom blonde finished as she reached for a manila folder. "This one will be interesting, although I dare say one that's easy enough for your caliber." She tossed folder across the desk to him and laced her fingers together under her chin. A slight smirk appeared across her face.

He reached for the folder and quickly scanned over its contents. His brow quickly fixed itself into a slightly confused look, and he was slightly insulted by what Tsunade was asking of him.

"An escort mission?"

"Hai, but not just any escort mission. You should really finish reading the fine print before you judge it."

He was still unsure of her decision, but he decided to play along anyway. He carefully read over the mission briefing again, this time making sure to take it all in.

Tsunade watched his face as it gradually changed. It first showed indifference, then slight surprise, and finally, a look of inquiry.

"This is…?"

His employer smiled. "That's right. You are to escort the Hyuuga clan's heir and see that she reaches her destination safely. The sheer amount of money Hyuuga Hiashi is offering was enough to make me place you in charge of this one, seeing as you _are_ my best man. But I'm warning you now, you screw this up, and I shall personally make sure that you never see another job in this country ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

She was attempting to scare him, but he didn't fall for it. Nothing scared him. Nothing. Especially not a woman who's afraid of a simple thing like aging.

"Crystal." His tone was cold and final, his piercing gaze never leaving her chilling one. She smirked.

"Good. I expect you to depart tomorrow morning at dawn. You will meet the caravan escorting the 'princess' just outside the village gates. Dismissed."

Naruto gave a nod of acknowledgment and walked out of her office.

* * *

The young mercenary was up much earlier than the sun was. It wasn't that he couldn't sleep, he just wanted to get an early start before his mission in a few hours. He did his usual routine and took time to make sure he was well prepared for anything. He was clad in black cargo pants and boots with a matching shirt, covered by a black still trench coat and gloves. Around his waist was strapped a simple sword, light yet exceedingly sharp. To him, it was his best and only friend. He cared for it more so than himself, making sure to sharpen and polish it each and every day. 

He was exceptionally skilled in the fine art of swordplay. When he wasn't on a mission, he was practicing in the fields and forests outside of the village, ever honing his already-deadly skills. Of course, the sword wasn't the only thing he was good at. He also dabbled a bit in the archery field. There were some missions where close combat just did not work out, so he would have to rely on his stealth and deadly accuracy. His bow was specially crafted from the finest of wood, and small yet strong enough to be strapped comfortably on his back, allowing for easy access in a tight spot.

He surveyed himself in the bathroom mirror. His eyes were a deep blue, yet seemed so distant to those around him. His blonde hair was spiked naturally on his head, of which was bound by a black headband with his mercenary company's insignia, a spiraling leaf. On his cheeks were black lines, like whiskers, tattooed in sets of three on either side. To him it was a sign of one who was a warrior, a fighter, and one who knew no fear.

Leaning down over the basin that was his sink, Naruto splashed some water on his face to help refresh himself. With that done, he gathered up his over stuffed backpack along with his weapons and headed out the door.

It was a chilling morning, yet not as bad as he would have guessed earlier. On the horizon he could see the first morning rays peaking out. His home wasn't too far from the gate, so he took his time walking, all the while thinking of what was to come.

He thought about the Hyuuga clan. Of course, he had heard of them. There wasn't a person alive in the country that hadn't. The clan was by far the wealthiest and most influential of its kind, and for good reason. There were rumors abuzz between the village folks that there was corruption among the clan, some of which involved stories of murder, drugs, and a host of all kinds of ill-mannered foul play. Not that it mattered to him. As long as they were paying him, he couldn't care less what they did.

After all, he wasn't paid to think, only do.

This was why he loved his job. It was as simple as that. No emotions and thus, no problem. That was how it has always been for Naruto, and quite frankly, he was content with the fact that that was how it always will be. In fact, he wasn't even told where they were going, or why. Again, he wasn't paid to ask questions.

In what seemed like no time he saw the gates ahead of him, a group of people and what looked like a horse-drawn carriage crowded outside of it. They were all moving about, making sure everything was in order, that the horses were tied securely to the large vehicle, and whatnot. It wasn't his concern.

As he approached, he noticed something quite surprising about these people: their eyes were a solid, milky lavender color. There were no visible pupils that he could see. He had heard stories, but he didn't think that they were true. He had to admit, it was slightly odd, but they didn't seem any different otherwise.

"Excuse me."

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a cool, smooth voice that didn't sound too happy. He looked to his right to find a Hyuuga male staring him down, quite obviously bothered that the mercenary was there in first place.

"You are the one hired by Lord Hiashi, correct?"

Naruto nodded to him, staring at him with equal intensity.

"I am Hyuuga Neji. Let me make one thing clear before we set off. If it were my decision, you would not be here. I am more than enough to protect Hyuuga-sama's daughter. So I will only warn you once: stay out of my way, and stay away from Hinata-sama, got it?" he finished.

For the second time in two days, Naruto was trying to be intimidated, and once again he was not going to back down. He stared unflinchingly and gave his response. "I'll do what my job requires," he said with indifference.

Neji looked as if he wanted to say something more, but thought against it. He merely grunted and swiftly walked away towards the carriage. As he watched the hotheaded Hyuuga, the only thing Naruto could think of was what a long mission this was going to be.

* * *

**That's the end of Chapter 1, I hope you guys liked it. Please review, those are what motivate me to write in the first place, lol :) The next chapter will be up ASAP, depending on when I have time to write it. Thanks for your time, see you soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello. I'm glad you guys liked to first chapter. Thank you so much to those of you that reviewed and even those who took the time to read it. This next ones got more action in it, but frankly I'm not too good at writing that kinda stuff, so I hope it turned out okay. If there's anything wrong please let me know via a review or PM, I really need to hear these things if I want to be a better writer. I find myself mediocre at best actually, lol :) Anyways, I've talked enough, on with the show.**

* * *

Odd. 

That's what Naruto thought of those that traveled with the small caravan. To him, they all looked the same with very slight differences. All of them had pale skin, dark brown hair, and those piercing white eyes, none more so than those of Neji. The guy kept shooting him a glare that could freeze even the coldest of flames, and quite frankly it was starting to piss the young man off. Other than that, everything was just peachy, and it looked like this mission would be a cakewalk.

Of course, Neji wasn't the only one giving him weird looks. The other various servants whispered quietly among themselves about the stranger clad in black. He could have sworn one of them even said that the whole get-up was 'corny.' He looked down at himself. Okay, so maybe it was a bit much, but hey, Old Lady Tsunade said it suited him perfectly.

He shifted his gaze from his clothing to survey his happenings around him. His eyes landed on the horse-drawn carriage. It was curious to him that he had not seen the supposed heir of this obviously 'merry' band of travelers. All sarcasm aside, he wondered if there even was a point of him being there, from the looks of it, that stick-in-the-mud Neji was right. He was hardly needed at all with all of these servants and guardians watching over her.

Naruto decided to fall back a few yards away from the group. He really didn't feel like putting up with the continuous looks and glares from the estranged family, and this gave him time to plan out an attack strategy for the supposed danger to come.

* * *

They had been walking almost nonstop all day, only to stop for a quick lunch and continue on their way. He was still unaware of where they were going, and wondered how long it would take to get there, wherever 'there' was. The sun was beginning to set, lighting up the sky with its brilliant orange and pink rays. He shifted his gaze from the sky when he heard the loud horn of the coachman permeate throughout the air, signaling for the company to stop for the night. 

Right now, they were on a large path that cut through the huge forests outside of Konoha. Rumor had it that bandits roamed aplenty in these woods, so the young mercenary decided to survey surrounding area while the rest of the group set up camp. Everything seemed to be in order, but he couldn't be too careful. He watched as the others scurried about, setting up tents, making campfires, and prepared the evening meal.

They all seemed a bit on edge to Naruto. Maybe they had heard the rumors about these woods as well. As he finished his rounds, seeing that everything was as it should be, he decided to relax in a nice, dark spot behind a tree. It wasn't that they didn't want him near them, it was in fact the other way around. He really didn't feel like talking to anyone, especially a certain someone who shall remain nameless.

* * *

The night was oddly warm in a good way, as that meant that the mercenary wouldn't even have to bother preparing his sleeping bag. So he sat for a long while, polishing his sword mindlessly whilst listening to the chirping sounds of the insects around him, and the low whispers of the Hyuuga members that were still awake at this hour. 

_Snap._

Instantly Naruto's head shot up from his blade and looked towards the direction of the sound splitting the air. He squinted his eyes in the darkness and stood up, sword at the ready and fighting stance set.

_Whoosh!_

"Shit," he whispered quickly and ducked out of the way just in time as an arrow stuck itself in the tree where his head had been just a moment before.

"Come on lads! You know what to do! Strip them of all possessions and leave none alive!"

In what seemed like a flash, ten or so rogues appeared from the surrounding foliage and leapt from the trees after the order had been given. They were all armed with various weapons, swords, axes, daggers, bows, you name it and they probably had it.

"_Not on my watch you smug bastards,"_ thought Naruto.

As quickly as he could, he ran from behind the tree and engaged the bandits nearest to him, which happened to be two of them. They quickly spotted him before he could launch his first attack and charged him head on, weapons raised above their heads.

"Amateurs."

With a quick swipe to their midsections at amazing speed his sword cut them down one by one and left them in a heap, most likely dead or severely wounded. Either way, they weren't getting back up. He moved on to his next targets. A bunch of them were closing in on a group of Hyuugas. The young man swiftly sheathed his sword and reached for his bow. Knocking back an arrow, he let it fly straight into one of the ransacker's skulls, killing him instantly. This caused his partners in crime to turn their attention towards Naruto, all looking extremely displeased.

"Now that I have your attention…" he said as he unsheathed his sword once again.

"You'll pay for that one, brat!"

"Let's see if that holds true."

With a growl the leader charged, the others right behind him with intent to kill. Naruto held his ground, waiting for the right opportunity. As soon as they were close enough, he let loose a flurry of sword swipes. He moved with such fluid grace that if it weren't such a serious situation, one would think that he was dancing around them. However, that was not the case as his dance of death ended with not a scratch on him.

He looked down at the nearest corpse and sighed, giving him a light kick on the back. "Tch, how disappointing."

"No, please! Don't kill me! Someone, help me!"

Naruto whipped around and saw one clan member being barreled down on by another thief. They were too far, he would never make it in time to save him, and the thief's axe was coming down much too fast for him to shoot him with an arrow.

"Die! …ARGH!"

The rogue dropped to the ground, dead. Standing over him was none other than Neji, who was calmly sheathing his weapon and leaning down to his comrade.

"Are you ok, Seto-san?"

"Hai, Neji-sama. Bless you! I would have been killed for sure if not for you!" The older man in his kneeling position bowed his head so that it was touching Neji's feet. Quickly composing himself, he stood up and walked away to check on the others.

Naruto, having witnessed the whole thing, gave an inward sigh and returned his sword to its place at his side. Neji looked to him after watching Seto walk away and smirked.

"It appears that you are not all that Tsunade made you out to be."

Naruto only gave him a blank stare as a response and turned his back, once again surveying the sight. It was quiet now, other than the occasional cry of relief from the others.

"I assume that is all of them," the young Hyuuga inquired.

"Looks to be."

"Good, then all is wel-"

_Whoosh!_

Naruto heard someone shouting his name before he collapsed to the ground on his knees. His eyes were closed in pain as he felt an object protruding from his lower back's right side. Slowly and carefully he reached back and pulled the offending object from his body and examined it. It was a simple arrow, yet he felt his body giving out on him. His vision was getting blurry and his breathing was labored. Something was not right.

He looked up in time to see Neji finishing a rogue that had hid himself in the thicket. He attempted to run away, but it did him little good. In a few sweeping strides Neji was at the downed Naruto's side.

"Are you alright," he asked in a flat tone.

"I…don't think it was a normal…arr…ow…"

The last thing Naruto heard was Neji's voice calling for assistance, and the shuffling of hurried footsteps before he finally collapsed.

* * *

**Well that's the end of Chapter 2. Slight cliffy but I think you guys have delt with worse. Please let me know how it was, I didn't think it came out too well. In the next one we'll finally see Naruto's first encounter with Hinata, so I'm hoping it'll be a good one. Thank you again for reading. 'Til next time, take it easy.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry this one's a bit late. My computer's OS crapped out on me when I opened Word the other day, so I had to reformat the hard drive, which meant I lost most of this chapter along with everything else I had on it. I know it's a lame excuse but it happens (3rd time actually...). Anyways, I hope everythings okay with this chapter. I was somewhat satisfied with it, but I'll leave that up to you guys. Enjoy.**

* * *

"_Hinata-sama, it has been two days now. Won't you please return to your private quarters for some rest?"_

"_I am well aware of the time, Neji-nii-san. I do appreciate your concern for me, b-but I must make sure that Naruto-san is well. It was because of me that he was injured, after all..."_

"_You know that is not true."_

"_Is it not, though? It is his job to protect me, nii-san, you know that. And I am sure that you are aware that that also means protecting the entire caravan."_

"_But you, too, are aware that I am more than capable of this duty. He is only getting in my way, and this ordeal proves it."_

"_I... I don't know. There were far too many brigands for you to handle. If Naruto-san had not been here, there would likely have been a few casualties. Also, I must admit, his skill with the blade is quite admirable..."_

"_Hmph. You make it sound as if I am a mere child blindly swinging a discarded branch."_

"_Oh, no! T-that's not it at all! Please don't misunderstand, I think that you are wonderful with the sword as well."_

"_I am merely joking, cousin. I apologize if it sounded harsh. However, I must ask that you at least come with me to eat a proper meal tonight. Your complexion is... unfitting for one of your status at the moment."_

"_You're terrible, nii-san."_

"_I know. Now come, before the food grows cold."_

"_H-hai, okay."_

* * *

Naruto heard the shuffling of feet slowly make their way towards the exit. When he was sure he was alone, he opened his eyes and shifted them around. From what he could gather, he was inside of a tent, and a plain looking one at that. The only thing in it was the sleeping mat he was currently laying on and a blanket, and next to that all of his belongings. 

He felt as if he banged his head against a brick wall for hours on end. It was killing him. The slightest movement sent a sharp pain through his side and lower back, and he could swear that the world around him was spinning if not for the fact that he was laying down. In spite of all this, he sat up gradually and looked down at his torso. The mid-section was engulfed in thick bandage wraps, and he could make out a bit of gauze poking out from the edges.

"_Oh yeah. No trouble at all. Thanks a lot, Granny..."_

Okay, so maybe it wasn't Tsunade's fault, but he would be damned if he went and cursed himself for not seeing that arrow coming. It was such a rookie mistake that he figured he should just drop dead right then and there. In fact, he wondered why he hadn't already. If memory served, that particular arrow had been coated in what he would guess was a lethal poison.

"_Well, no use thinking about it. I should just be glad that I made it through that little setback. After all, the old lady would have a fit if I keeled over before this mission was complete."_

Naruto smirked at himself despite the tremendous pain he felt, but he sucked it up and grabbed a clean shirt out of his pack. He wasn't planning on leaving them, but being cooped up inside of that dingy tent wasn't doing him any favors. He needed the fresh air, and he once again did not feel like socializing with anyone. Especially if they were going to fuss over him and his wounds. He thought back to the conversation he had caught a few minutes prior. This 'Hinata-sama' seemed like the type to fit that bill. It wasn't that he was ungrateful, but he thought it best that he didn't get involved with her, or her cousin for that matter. One warning was enough, he didn't need that pompous prick riding his coattails.

Very quietly, the young man peeked outside of the tent flaps. There didn't seem to be anyone around from what he saw, and those that were nearest were occupied with one thing or other. It was hard trying to stay quiet with a gaping hole in one's side, but in the end he was able to sneak a few feet into the woods, close enough so that he was able to see the firelight flicking on and around the trees.

He had taken his sword with him, and proceeded to pull out his trusty whet stone that he kept in one of the hidden pockets of his pants. Very carefully, he slid the stone along the smooth surface of steel. One stroke, two, then a third... he wasn't sure how long he was there, but he figured it was at least an hour or so before he heard the rustling of the bushes and the crunch of dried leaves and twigs not too far away. As quick as his injured body would allow him, he stood in attack stance, one hand clutching his side whilst the other gripped his weapon.

"N-Naruto-san?"

The mercenary looked at the young woman in front of him. She appeared to be about his age, albeit a few inches shorter and a lot more pale. She had the same eyes as her brethren, yet very different. He could tell that they didn't hold the coldness of her cousin, but kindness and innocence. Another thing he noticed... she was, for lack of a better term, pretty. Her hair was a long, flowing midnight that stretched to her lower back. Her cheeks held a slight tinge of redness, and she was biting her lower lip. He looked her up and down. The apparel she wore was fitting for her. She wore a pale lavender kimono which was tied with a large silken belt of a slightly darker shade. Although she was a 'princess', he didn't detect any jewelery on her whatsoever.

"Hai," he answered while sheathing his sword. He could tell that he made her nervous, as she was pressing her forefingers together and still biting her lower lip.

"Ano... I s-suppose you are wondering who I am?"

"Hyuuga Hinata, heir of the prestigious Hyuuga clan," he stated bluntly.

"H-hai. Um, may I ask why you are not resting? Your injuries are quite sev-"

"I'm fine. It's nothing. Please don't concern yourself with me. It is I who should be worrying of your well-being."

"I... that may be true, but your injuries are certainly not 'nothing'. Please... you must go back and rest."

"I already told you, I'm fine," he said, although he certainly did not feel it. "Why should you care anyways? I'm just the hired help, after all."

"If you m-must know, it is because I don't want you to die." She took a few timid steps closer to him and pressed her hand gently to his forehead. "Y-you still have a high fever. And your wound," she looked at his hand grasping his side, "if you agitate it further, it may open again. The medic may have neutralized most of the poison, but if you do not rest, you may..."

She remained silent and clasped her hands in front of her, her eyes meeting the ground. He knew what she was implying as she trailed off. What was so puzzling to him, though, was how she could care for someone she didn't know at all. His appearance usually kept most people at bay and away from him, or if they had to associate with him, it was merely for business. Although he could tell hat he frightened her, he could also see in her eyes that she did care about his health.

"Please," she whispered again.

He gave an inward sigh and looked up to the sky, asking the heavens a mental "_Why me_?"

"...Fine."

Hinata looked up at him and gave a small smile. "Arigato, Naruto-san."

"Yeah, yeah..." he stated as he followed her back to the camp.

As they pushed past the last of the brush, Naruto finally started to feel his illness catching up with him. His head started spinning and his stomach seemed to be doing back flips. The heiress seemed to notice that as she timidly held on to his arm to keep him steady.

"A-are you well?"

"Hai... I'm fine."

"We're almost there. It's just a bit further."

She guided him on the last stretch towards the tent and led him inside. Gently, she aided him in his descent to the bed roll and placed a damp cloth on his head that she pulled from a nearby water basin.

"I will called the medic so he can replace your bandages. I'll check in on you once he's done."

Naruto watched as she left in his dizzy haze. A few minutes later, an older looking man appeared in the tent and greeted him warmly. After removing the young man's shirt and applying a new roll of gauze and bandages, the medic left the tent whilst bidding him a good night. He closed his eyes for a few moments and opened them. Hinata had returned and was now in a kneeling position on both knees to his left.

"H-how are you feeling?" she asked him softly.

"Never better," he responded tiredly.

She giggled softly to herself while she placed the newly dampened cloth on his head again. The boy didn't understand her or her actions. She was just too nice for his liking, yet he couldn't help but wonder why. And to think, he had only mentioned to himself earlier that he would not get involved with her or her family.

"I must thank you," she began quietly after a few moments, "For the other day. You risked your life for my clan. For...me. I don't know what would have happened if you were not there."

"You would be fine, I think. You have the almighty Neji, remember?"

"Hai, but against those numbers, even he would not have fared so well."

"I suppose not. Hell, even I'd have my share of trouble. I guess he has his uses."

"Please, don't mind him. His words may cut deeper than his blade at times, but he means well. He is just... overprotective of me."

"Yeah, well, tell him not to worry. I don't plan on stealing you from him," he said jokingly.

Hinata blushed fiercely at his statement, but it went unnoticed by him. She wondered how he couldn't realize what it was suggesting.

"H-hai. W-well, I suppose I sh-should let you get some rest now. If you n-need anything, please do not hesitate to call on me. I won't be too far away."

"Alright."

The young woman stood up and made to exit the tent.

"Hinata." She paused in her step and turned to look at the bedridden swordsman.

"Hm?"

"...Thank you."

She smiled genuinely upon hearing him say that. It made her feel warm and wonderful inside. She was beginning to think that he didn't care that she went out of her way for him. It never felt so wonderful to be wrong.

"You're welcome, Naruto-kun," she said with a blush tainting her cheeks. With that, she exited the tent, the sounds of his soft snoring following her.

* * *

**How was it? Good? Great? Sucked? All feedbacks appreciated. Thank you for reading, I'll catch you all next time.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter 4. It's a bit longer than the others, fortunately. I hope you guys like it. Please note that I try to respond to my reviewer's via reply, so I apologize in advance if I seem to skip some of you. I figured that most of you would skip the replys if I wrote them down here anyways. Enjoy!**

_

* * *

_

_It was a night just like any other. He sat in the corner with his crayons and scribbled this and that on a sheet of paper. His mother and father sat on the couch not far off, the former knitting and humming quietly to herself whilst the latter read over the numerous reports piled on a nearby coffee table. The young boy, no older than five years, picked up the piece of paper and admired his handy work. There was a plethora of various orange scribbles and stick figures placed randomly about. Yes, this had to be one of the finest drawings to date. It would definitely make it to the kitchen 'fridge of fame.' _

_Quite suddenly, a loud crash sounded from the direction of the front door, followed by the sound of calm footsteps._

"_What the hell is going on!?" shouted the boy's father, who had swiftly stood from his position on the couch and looked towards to broken door._

"_Ah, forgive the unexpected visit, Uzumaki-**sama**. Please, don't get up."_

"_You. What the hell do you want?"_

"_Direct and to the point. I like that," the stranger said with a smirk. "Well, if you must know, there is a small matter of business I wish to discuss with you and your lovely wife."_

"_And what might that be?"_

_The stranger chuckled to himself and shook his head slightly. "Shouldn't we discuss this over a cup of tea? I daresay, if this is how you treat guests then I'd hate to see how you treat your friends."_

"_Stop mocking me and get on with it, damn you."_

"_-Sigh- I guess there is no humoring you," he said as he reached behind his back very subtly. "I wish to discuss..." In a flash he pulled out a small hand gun and aimed. "...The destruction of your clan!"_

_The toddler screamed as he heard two loud bangs, follow by the quiet chuckling of the offending stranger. He felt tears come to his eyes as he went from his place in the corner over to the corpses of his parents. He looked to his father, shot point blank in the head, to his mother, who suffered a similar fate. It was all too much for him as he wailed and threw himself onto his mother's body._

"_Get up, boy... I said... Get up...!"_

* * *

"Get up, damn it!" 

Naruto opened his eyes and shot up from his place on the floor, though he instantly regretted that. The pain in his side hurt like hell. Clutching his side, he turned and looked up sleepily to the offending person that woke him up from his sleep.

"It's about time," Neji said irritably.

"The hell do you want?" Naruto asked, equally irked.

"We are leaving. The physician has claimed that your fever has broken, and you should be more than able to walk on your own. Get dressed and pack up."

"Yeah, whatever..." Naruto was still feeling tired, but he definitely didn't feel like going back to sleep. Not after reliving that hell of a nightmare again. This isn't the first time he's had that dream. In fact, there were many nights where he refused to sleep because of it. There didn't seem to be any sign of them stopping, either.

He watched as the Hyuuga left the tent without another word. Naruto was thankful that he didn't talk in his sleep. Neji would have definitely made sure that he didn't hear the end of it. Without further delay, he got dressed and packed up his belongings. His stomach gave a terrible lurch as he walked out. It was probably because he smelled food being cooked, but it was more likely because he had not eaten since the incident.

"Uzumaki-san?"

The man turned and saw a servant woman approach him with a large, steaming bowl of food. It was strange because she wasn't even a Hyuuga. She had large brown eyes, and her hair was tied in two buns on either side of her head. "I was told to make sure that you ate once you have awakened. If you would like more, please do not hesitate to call on me."

"Uh, yeah. Arigato, Miss...?"

"'Tenten' will be fine, sir."

"Tenten," he said with a nod. "Call me 'Naruto.'"

"Hai, Naruto-san. If you would excuse me." She left with a small bow. He noticed that she headed towards the large carriage and disappeared behind its door.

The smell of the food brought him back from his thoughts. It couldn't be...it was simply intoxicating to him. He looked and saw that it was indeed what he smelled: ramen. Back in Konoha, he practically lived off of the stuff. There was many a time when jobs just weren't on the plentiful side, and that meant no income. If ramen wasn't so cheaply priced, he was sure that he would have died of starvation long ago. And he was simply addicted to it. His mouth had seemingly converted into a vacuum, and before he knew it, the bowl was empty. He was just about to see if he could get more when the sound of the coachman's horn blew, and with it, movement from the others in the camp. It was time to move on.

"_Oh well. At least it was enough to tide me over for a while."_

* * *

Little happened over the few hours that they had traveled. They had successfully made it out of the forest and were now making their way through vast plains. As far as he could tell, all Naruto could make out was a vast sea of grass and the occasional flower patch. At this rate the travelers would be near the border of the Fire country. The mercenary yawned to himself as they moved ever on while attempting to ignore the pain in his side. He found the whole thing boring and completely tiring. Of course, he attributed his exhaustion to his injury. If he were completely healthy then it wouldn't be so overbearing. 

"Uzumaki."

"_Kami-sama, doesn't anyone go by first name around here?"_

"Hn?"

It was Neji who had addressed him, and quite frankly the last person he expected to.

"Are you well?" He said this with extreme effort, and he sure as hell didn't seem like he would be one to care about Naruto's well being.

"Aw, Neji. I didn't think you cared," he said in a mocking tone.

"Hmph. Think what you want. I am merely concerned about your ability to fight, should the need arise. You are of no use to me otherwise."

"Whatever. Save the sweet talk for someone who gives a damn."

"You have not answered my question yet."

"I don't think I need to. I'm sure you know the answer to that."

"Very well. I shall go inform Hinata-sama. Honestly, I don't know why she would care for someone like yourself. You are hardly worth the effort."

"Why don't you ask her yourself, because I honestly don't care what she thinks of me. That goes for you, too." And he meant it. Every word. He had no idea why the woman cared, but she did. It was obviously an innate quality of hers, and as such there was no reason to overly think about it.

Neji gave him that trademark smirk of his. How he wished he could just smack it right off of his prissy face. "Likewise. However, I cannot speak for Hinata-sama. Hopefully she will reconsider her feelings. After all, she is already spoken for."

For some reason this piqued Naruto's interest, and he had no clue why. Neji obviously was pleased with himself: his remark had hit home.

"You look troubled," he said smugly.

"Shouldn't you be somewhere else right now?"

"Are you implying that I am bad company?"

"If I wanted to catch crap all day I'd have stayed in the forest with the monkeys. Is there something else you needed?"

Neji cleared his throat and dropped his smirk, looking once again stoic. "My apologies. I am merely curious about the details of your mission."

"What of it?"

"Do you not know where we are going? Or why, for that matter," he asked.

"It's not my job to ask questions," Naruto recited as if he had rehearsed it over and over.

"Ah yes. The mercenary's creed. I cannot tell you the details, since you quite obviously are not of our clan. But know this-"

At this the blond youth rolled his eyes. "Another warning? Please, spare me."

"Do not interrupt me, Uzumaki," the white-eyed warrior snapped. "As I was saying. Keep your distance from Hinata. It is your job to protect her, not socialize with her. I will not have our clan's future put in jeopardy because of some low-life mercenary."

"Like I said, I don't give a damn about your clan. I'll do my part, sure, but only if she does her part as well. I have no control over whether or not she approaches me. And something tells me you have just as much control over her as I do." He smirked as Neji visibly turned slightly red in the face and looked livid. Oh how he wished he could take a picture so he could savor the moment anytime he wanted.

Neji closed his eyes and took a deep breath in order to compose himself before pressing on. "Regardless, I'll do what I can to see that she does indeed remember her duties. Step out of line, and I'll cut you down where you stand. I'll not warn you again."

"Are you done?" he asked tiredly.

Neji shot him one last warning glance and stalked off to the carriage's side. It was unbelievable how someone he just met could annoy and piss him off so greatly. If he didn't know any better, he would say that Tsunade knew this would happen. He could just picture her laughing her ass off while she drank her body weight in sake.

The sound of the coachman's horn once again blew, meaning that they were going to stop and make camp for the night. Naruto was all for it. Between the pain in his side and the pain in his ass that was Neji, he had more than enough for one day. He dropped his pack and prepared for the evening that was to come.

* * *

After a light dinner of dried meat and water, Naruto sat on a log a few feet away from camp, staring into the fire he had made an hour or so earlier. He was poking at it with a stick he acquired from the ground, but he wasn't really paying attention. His mind was elsewhere, and his face clearly showed it to anyone who saw him. 

He thought about his dream earlier. He had only been five years old when the murders happened, but for the life of him he just could not understand why he would remember that event. He could barely remember what he had for breakfast. _"Maybe I should skip sleep tonight. I really don't have the energy to deal with this right now."_ Indeed he looked older than he should. The bags and crows feet that surrounded his eyes were proof enough that he hardly slept. He closed his eyes and audibly sighed, unaware of an approaching visitor.

"Um, Naruto-san?"

He looked up and nearly groaned. It was Hinata. If Neji found out about this then that meant another nagging for him.

"Hinata," he acknowledged. The shy girl walked to him and bowed. She looked down to the floor and played with her hands. It was incredibly awkward for him.

"May I?" she asked finally.

"Oh. Yeah, sure." Hinata took a seat next to him on the log, making sure to keep a fair amount of distance between them, but enough so that Naruto could feel her body heat radiating off of her.

"Is there something you wanted? Shouldn't you be asleep? I don't think Neji would approve of you being up so late." _"Or sitting with me for that matter,"_ he added mentally.

"It's fine. I made sure that he was asleep before I left the camp. I..." She hesitated. "I couldn't sleep."

"Tell me about it," he answered more to himself.

"Y-you seem troubled. Is everything alright?" She wasn't sure if it was okay to ask him, but she really was concerned. She wanted to do what she could to help him.

"It's nothing."

"Your expression tells me otherwise. P-perhaps I can help you."

"I don't need your help, or your pity, for that matter."

She looked visibly taken aback by his rather blunt answer. She definitely wasn't expecting that. Still, she would not let him drive her away. "N-nevertheless, you have both. It is better to talk about your problems than to keep them as your own."

"And what would you know about it? I should think that a woman of your stature wouldn't know of such things."

"J-just because I live a life that differs from yours, it does not mean that I am not human. I have problems just like everyone else. Please, Naruto-san. Let me help you."

"...Why do you care so much? You know nothing about me and it seems that my words can't deter your persistence."

"Well... whether you noticed it or not, I-I have been watching you from within the carriage. You come across as a hardened mercenary , but I can see in your eyes that there is so m-much more to that. I oftentimes see you lost in your thoughts. You look so troubled, and yet you press on as if nothing is wrong. It is that strength...that attracts me to you so."

They were silent for a while. He had no clue what it was about her, but he knew that he could trust her. Maybe it had to due with the way her eyes spoke volumes to him. In any case, it was hard to be un-attracted to her.

Naruto had not said a word after her confession, and Hinata was beginning to think that she was out of line admitting that to him. She thought of apologizing to him and returning to her tent so she could die of embarrassment, but he spoke before she could say or do anything.

"I was thinking about a dream that's been plaguing my mind for years."

"What was it about?"

"My parents. Their death, to be exact."

Hinata gasped quietly and placed her hand over her mouth. "I...I'm sorry. You d-don't have to go on if you don't want-"

"I was five when it happened," he said as if he hadn't even heard her. "I can't remember what the man who did it looked like. I just remember my parents being shot, and me crying and clutching onto their bodies."

Hinata had tears in her eyes, and they slowly cascaded down her cheeks as she listened to him continue. "The dream ends there, but after that, I found out that the others in my clan had been massacred also. To this day I don't know why he left me alive, or why he did what he did. But I vow to find out. I stayed in an orphanage until I was old enough to fend for myself."

She had not stopped crying, and to him it didn't look like she would stop anytime soon. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. It was usually used to polish off his blade, but he had yet to actually partake in that activity.

"Here," he said, handing it to her.

"A-arigato." She wiped her eyes and cheeks, and eventually her sobs quieted until they were no more.

"So, what of your parents?" Naruto asked her.

"My mother died shortly after the birth of my sister. After that, my father had become cold and cruel. B-but, I don't mind. I know that deep down, he is still the kind man I once knew. However, we are not close at all, so I am mostly on my own if it doesn't concern the clan."

"I see..." He wondered if he should ask her what's been plaguing him since his conversation with Neji. He figured it wouldn't do any harm. "Is this journey clan oriented?"

Hinata looked reluctant to answer. "H-hai. It will ensure a prosperous future for us once it is completed."

"So I hear. Neji wasn't exactly quiet about it. I still would like to know what crawled up his ass and died."

Hinata chuckled at his attempt to lighten to mood, and she was glad for it. "He can be a bit overbearing at times. I apologize for the way he treats you."

"Don't worry about it. Just don't let him know we were talking. I really don't feel like hearing his death-threats about me staying away from you."

The heiress gasped again. "D-did he really say that?"

"Unfortunately."

"Oh no..."

"What's the big deal anyways?"

"Ano... I don't know what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean."

"I... It's getting late, I really should be going," she said quickly. She got up and bowed to Naruto. "It was wonderful talking with you. G-good night, Naruto-san." He watched her, confused, as she headed towards her tent. Honestly, he wondered if the entire clan was full of nut jobs.

* * *

**I know the whole clan-massacre thing was very 'Sasuke,' but I figured it fit well for what's to come later on in the story. Also, it seems as if I'm bashing on Neji, but I'm not. His attitude is essential for the story. He's actually one of my favorite characters, right next to Hinata and Shikamaru :) I hope it turned out okay. Note that the Hyuuga's are being very vague about the purpose of this mission. There's a hint in there somewhere, so try and figure it out if you can. I won't say whether or not any assumptions are correct, but it's always fun to guess, right? Please review, and thanks for reading. 'Til next time.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey again. Thanks so much for all the reviews, favs, and alerts. I didn't think this story would progress so well. I'll keep it short, so enjoy.**

* * *

Almost a whole week had gone by since Naruto had last talked to Hinata. So far, everything was proceeding smoothly and it looked like they would reach their destination withing a few hours. He noticed that they were extremely close to the Sound border, but had yet to cross it. It was as if they were trailing along it because they didn't know the exact coordinates of where ever it was they were headed. _"I sure hope they know where they're going."_

The black-clad hero was growing more impatient by the minute. It had been a whole week away from civilization, and quite frankly it was one week too many. But there was nothing he could do about it, so he let his mind wander. He thought back to those thugs. He still couldn't believe that he had screwed up so badly. His wound was fine, but if it wasn't for the medic and Hinata, he was sure he wouldn't have made it out of the forest alive.

"_Hinata..."_ How on earth could this woman care about him so much? Was it that she was lonely? No, that couldn't be it. She has Neji and all of her retainers. Perhaps she thinks that _he's_ lonely? _"Tch. Impossible."_ She hadn't spoken to him in the past few days, and for some reason he couldn't help but feel let down, just a little. Of course, this was a feeling way back in the recesses of his mind, and he would be damned if he admitted it to himself. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if she was okay, and whether or not he stepped over the line with his question. Then again, there was Neji.

"_I guess he found a way to keep her in line. Can't say I'm not disappointed, I love getting a rise out of him." _Naruto chuckled to himself. Sure he hated when the bastard even so much as looked at him, but seeing him so worked up is pretty much the only form of entertainment he's had this whole trip.

"Uzumaki, a word please."

"_...Damn it. Well, I asked for it."_

The mercenary turned to the Hyuuga male, utterly failing at hiding his annoyance. "You need me to change your diaper or something?"

"Very funny. I have just come to inform you that we are nearing our destination, and that your mission is hereby complete. Your boss will have already been compensated by the time you reach your village."

"Shouldn't I wait until we get there?"

"That is not necessary. I can handle it from here."

"Then I'm definitely staying and making sure that Hinata makes it there safely."

"I already told you, sell-sword. I am-"

"Nii-san?"

The two men both stopped their discussion and turned to see Hinata standing before them. Behind her it looked as if the whole company had stopped, most likely at her word.

"Hinata-sama? What's wrong?"

"That's what I would like to know," she said half curious, half angry.

"It is nothing that should be of any concern to you. I was merely having a discussion with the hired-help. Please return to the carriage and await me there."

"N-not until you tell me what is going on. It's not like you to harass our guests."

Neji looked at her stoically. "I cannot."

Hinata looked disappointed, but she turned to Naruto, who seemed slightly amused. A light blush made its way to her cheeks before she spoke to him.

"N-Naruto-san. Can you tell me what is going on?"

He looked at Hinata, who was trying her hardest not to avert her gaze from him. Then he looked to Neji. The look he was giving him was that of warning. Naruto just smirked slightly and gave his answer, not taking his eyes off the object of his torment.

"It seems that I'm no longer needed, Hinata. At least Neji thinks so."

Hinata looked shocked and gasped. "Nii-san? Is this t-true? Were you planning to send him back w-without my consent?"

Neji sighed. "Hai. But I am only doing so for your own good and that of the clan. We cannot afford you to waver in your duty."

"I don't understand. Why would you think th-that I would not do what is best for our clan?"

Neji gave a side long glance to the man next to him. Hinata follow his example and she bowed her head in shame, or at least that's what Naruto thought. This whole thing was confusing the hell out of him.

"I think you do understand," he said quietly. "That is why I would like Naruto to part ways with us as soon as possible. The clan comes first."

"But..."

Naruto couldn't stand there and let Neji talk down to her like that. Even though he didn't think much of her, he still owed her for helping him. He had a plan, but it wasn't one that he was happy proposing. But damn, it'd make Neji wish he'd let Naruto make it to their destination and be done with it. That was enough convincing for him.

"Hey, Hinata."

The two Hyuuga both looked back to the blond.

"Neji's right, my mission's complete."

"...What are you getting at, Uzumaki?" Neji didn't trust him one bit, and Naruto agreeing with him can only mean trouble.

"No one's talking to you, prick." Oh how he loved watching that bastard turn red. "As I was saying, since my mission is complete, I'm pretty much a free agent at the moment."

Hinata's face showed confusion, but it gradually shifted to understanding and then to joyous. "Naruto-san, I have a job for y-you, if you would like to accept it."

"That depends."

"O-of course. You will be well-paid for your efforts. Would you be so kind as to accompany me as my personal guardian?"

Neji looked extremely displeased. In fact he looked as if he sniffed a particularly large pile of fecal matter. "Hinata, don't be absurd! What do you think my job is for!? I am to protect you, not him!"

"B-but Nii-san, you know that you will be busy with numerous meetings and paperwork while we are at the estate, not to mention the daily progress reports that you will need to send to father. I c-couldn't ask you to make time for me as well."

"But...but..."

"I accept," said a very amused Naruto. Although his face didn't show it, in his mind he was rolling around with laughter at Neji's misfortune.

"T-then it is done. I believe we should continue onwards. We wouldn't want to keep our hosts waiting."

Naruto noticed that she said this with a hint of sadness in her eyes, and he once again found himself questioning why. He never knew one woman could be so complex.

"...Very well. I shall accompany you to the carriage."

As the two Hyuugas departed (not without another spiteful glare from Neji), he saw Hinata mouth what looked like a 'thank you' to him. The swordsman merely nodded and lagged behind the caravan as it slowly made its way forward again. "_I hope this doesn't come back and bite me in the ass."_

* * *

Within the hour they had come to a huge estate on the Fire-Sound border. It was a huge mansion enclosed by ten foot high granite walls, polished off to a fine finish. The place was so huge he wouldn't be surprised if it covered over one hundred acres. In fact, he wondered if it was a castle surrounded by a tiny village instead of a mansion. The carriage stopped just in front of the gates and he saw Hinata make her way out to them. _"Perhaps I should have a look. I'm on the job now after all."_

He made his way over to the front and stood a few feet away from the Hyuuga cousins. The gates creaked open suddenly, just a crack, and he saw a silver-haired man step out from inside. The man dressed strangely, Naruto noticed. He wore a dark blue, almost black shirt and pants with matching gloves and sandals, along with a green vest that covered his torso. What stood out though was the mask that covered his face and the headband that covered his left eye.

"Welcome, Hyuugas," he said in a bored voice. "I am Hatake Kakashi, the personal bodyguard of the Uchiha clan heir."

"_Uchiha, huh?"_ Naruto had heard of the name before, he just couldn't remember much more about them.

"Greetings, Kakashi-san. I am Hyuuga Hinata. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"The feeling's mutual, Hyuuga-sama. Please allow me to show you in."

"Arigato."

"Don't mention it. This way please."

The trio along with the rest of the company followed the strangely cool man into the complex. Looking around, Naruto saw that the many smaller buildings were built in the same style. It would definitely suck to get lost here. The huge mansion loomed in front of them a few minutes later. There was a large fountain that sat in the front of it, circled by a paved road that led back towards the gates. The lawn was huge and filled with all manner of flowers and various other botany.

"Here we are," Kakashi said as he stopped in front of the huge double doors.

"Are you ready, Hinata?" Neji asked his cousin. Naruto saw why, too. She looked extremely nervous.

"H-hai. Let's not make them wait longer than they already have."

"Hn," Naruto said from behind her.

Kakashi gave a slight tug on the door knob and held it open for them to enter. For some reason, the whole thing didn't sit right with the mercenary. Something seemed off to him. He had yet to actually see any other members of this clan roaming the huge estate.

"After you," said the silver-haired bodyguard.

Hinata took a deep breath to calm her nerves, and walked in with her two guards behind her.

* * *

**Well it was shorter than the last one, but I decided to end it there so I could work on the conversations to come some more. There's going to be a lot of explaining in the next couple of chapters I think. I hope it was okay, let me know what you think. Catch ya later.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's chapter 6. I hope it's satisfactory.**

**A/N: Just a quick note, is the e-mail alert down again? It seems that I'm not being sent an e-mail when I get a new review or submit a new chapter.**

* * *

The three guests stepped through the threshold and into a large entrance hall. There the navy carpet at their feet led towards a double door, whose doors were already ajar. Kakashi led them inside the now massive room in which there was a large, black marble desk that had an emblem most unfamiliar to Naruto. But it wasn't the desk that drew his attention: it was who was seated behind it that piqued his interest.

"May I introduce," Kakashi drawled in his perpetually lazy voice, "Uchiha Itachi, head of the Uchiha clan."

The man rose from his seat. He wore long, flowing robes of the darkest blue Naruto had ever seen. It had a high collar that rose from the top of his shoulders to the back of his head, which was covered in straight, black hair, and as such, his face remained half concealed. His eyes, though, were of the bloodiest shade of red, and seemed to pierce whatever they had set upon.

"Welcome, esteemed Hyuuga and friend," he said in a voice that was smooth and calm, but lacked that laziness that Kakashi possessed. "I trust your journey was pleasant?"

"H-hai, Uchiha-sama," spoke Hinata. "Although we did have a minor delay, it was rather enjoyable."

"It puts my mind at ease to hear such words from you, Hinata-sama." It seemed to the young mercenary that Itachi certainly did not look it. "May I ask who your companions are?"

"Of course. May I introduce my cousin, Hyuuga Neji..." Neji bowed politely, "...And my personal bodyguard, Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto merely nodded in the Uchiha's direction.

"It is a pleasure," he responded, bowing his head a little. "Now, shall we get down to business? I would to introduce you my younger brother, but first Kakashi-san will have to fetch him for us." Itachi looked to Kakashi's direction and hardened his gaze at what he saw. It seems that the bodyguard had decided to lose himself in that cursed book again. "Kakashi-san."

"Hm? Yes? Was there something I missed?" Indeed he looked utterly clueless as to what was being said around him just moments before, having grudgingly pulled his nose out of his small orange book.

"If you would not like to lose your other eye, I would suggest that you go now and fetch my brother."

"Oh, right. Sorry about that," he said scratching the back of his head. His eye was crinkled up in a smile as he turned and walked away. It was hard for Naruto to believe that someone like him could guard anyone, let alone himself.

"Forgive me for his lack of courtesy," said Itachi. "Though he may not look it, he is quite adept at his job."

"Is that so? He does not look like much," said Neji with a smirk.

"Ano... his choice of literature is also most questionable," Hinata uttered with a small blush crossing her cheeks.

"Why's that?"

"Naruto-san, did you not see what he was reading?"

"Not particularly."

"It was a...a..."

"It was a book reserved for adults only, to answer your question Uzumaki."

"I see."

"Honestly, what kind of man would pollute his mind with such filth?"

"Nii-san, b-be nice. You have only just met him. He seems like a nice man to me."

"Hmph. I just hope he keeps his hands to himself if he knows what is good for him."

"What are you going to do, annoy him to death with your useless banter?"

"Mind your tongue, sell-sword, before I cut it out for you."

"Enough! I will not tolerate such behavior in my home," said the very annoyed Uchiha.

Neji gave a short bow. "My apologies, Uchiha-sama."

"You called, brother?" a voice said from behind them.

Itachi walked around the desk towards the one who spoke.

"Ah, Sasuke. Come and greet our guests."

Naruto turned and examined the new arrival. He was a man, probably no older than himself, dressed in black robes similar to his brother's with silver lining. He had the same colored hair, but it was fashioned in what they could only describe as a raven's tail-feathers. His eyes were different than his brother as well: they were a deep onyx with no visible pupils, the exact opposite of the Hyuugas. His face was kind looking and wore a smile.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke. It is a great pleasure to meet you all."

Hinata responded with a deep blush this time as she looked at the youngest Uchiha. This bothered Naruto in a small part of his mind for some reason. "The pleasure is a-all mine, Sasuke-san. These are my friends, Hyuuga Neji and Uzumaki Naruto."

"Indeed," agreed Neji. Again Naruto replied with a curt nod.

"I am glad that you two have taken a liking to one another," said Itachi pointedly at Sasuke and Hinata. "It is a great sign for the future of our clans."

"H-hai, Uchiha-sama."

"So what exactly is it that's going to 'ensure' the future of your clans anyway?" Naruto asked.

"Have you not been informed? The heirs of both clans will be united in sacred matrimony," answered the eldest brother. Hinata lowered her head in order to hide her face from Naruto, and Neji smirked at him yet again. Though it shouldn't have mattered much to the blond, he couldn't help but feel... let down. Of course, he sure wasn't going to show it. Why should he care anyway?

"Brother, shouldn't we see that our guests are well rested before we discuss the matter further? I'm sure that they are extremely tired from their journey." Maybe it was the trick of the light, but to Naruto it seemed that Sasuke was somewhat... sad.

"Hm, perhaps you are right, Sasuke." He turned to his guests. "Forgive me, I did not mean to keep you for so long."

"It is no trouble, Uchiha-sama," said Neji.

"Sasuke, show them to their quarters. I have work to attend to. Good evening, honored guests."

"And you as well," replied Hinata quietly with a bow.

"Please, this way," said Sasuke.

The group followed him out of the huge room and into the hall again. He turned right and proceeded to walk through another doorway and into a smaller hall. Several doors lined its walls, no doubt extra room for guests and other members of the immediate family. They stopped at a door near the end of the hall.

"This will be your room, Hinata-san," he said whilst opening the door. "Your servants have already been shown to their respective rooms, so there's no need to worry about them."

"Arigato, Sasuke-san."

"No problem. If you need anything, Kakashi will be in his room down the hall. First door on the left."

"Hai, I will keep that in mind." The shy girl bowed to him and turned to close the door, but before she did she gave a sorrowful gaze to the mercenary. He looked back to her, confused, and she shut the door. _"Wonder what's wrong with her..."_

"This will be your room, Neji-san," said Sasuke at the door across from Hinata's room. Naruto heard them exchange good nights and turned to Sasuke.

"Naruto, was it? Your room is next to Hinata's"

"Yeah, thanks." Again he was getting the feeling that something was off here. Things just didn't settle well to him, and he wanted some answers. After all, he wasn't a very patient person.

"Is something the matter?" asked the confused man before him.

"...We need to talk," Naruto said. He walked into his room and left the door open. Hesitantly, Sasuke followed after him and shut the door behind him.

"What can I help you with, Naruto-san?"

"I haven't seen any other of your clan members here. Care to explain?"

"I... that's something that I can't tell you. It's clan business you see. I'm sorry."

"Alright, I won't force it out of you. But what's up with your brother? He doesn't seem sincere to me, even though he plays the part somewhat well."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"You know damn well what I mean. Just from the way he talks, I could tell right off that there was more to him than he let on. And he seems eager to get this marriage thing over with as fast as possible."

Sasuke gave a heavy sigh. "I admit, his actions are questionable. Ever since our fathers death, he has not been right in the mind. He claims that this marriage is for the benefit of both clans, but it is against my will that I am to proceed with it. I am sure Hinata-san feels no different than I."

"What exactly are these 'benefits'? Isn't your clan prospering enough on its own?"

"I... cannot say. I really don't know of my brothers intentions, or even why the Hyuugas have even agreed to this. Perhaps they see some profit in our clans merging."

"...I don't like any of this. It's all too suspicious."

"I agree. My brother isn't as open with me as he used to be. Although, I would like to see what is best for our clan. Even if it means to go through with this marriage."

"So... you don't see Hinata in that light?"

Sasuke chuckled. "Do you mean love? We have only just met. I do find her attractive, but I couldn't possibly see us as more than friends. It would be an awkward union, to be sure." After saying that, his expression changed to understanding as he looked at Naruto's reaction. "You hold feelings for her, don't you?"

"W-what? Don't be stupid. That's the craziest thing I've ever heard."

"Ah, but you are flustered! Your mouth mouth says 'no' but your eyes and heart betray you."

"Listen, I'm only concerned about her safety. I was hired to protect her and I'll be damned if I fail my mission. I haven't failed one yet and I sure as hell won't start now."

The heir wasn't convinced, nor was he intimidated. In fact, he gave him a knowing smile. "If that's what you think. I'll not press the matter further. Rest assured, regardless of the outcome of their visit, Hinata will not be harmed. And don't worry, I will keep my hands to myself."

"What the hell are you going on about now? Why should I care what you two do in your private time?"

"I think it would be for all of our best interests. You, Hinata, and myself, I mean. Something tells me she has eyes, not for me, but for another."

"How would you know that? You just said that you've just met her."

"Because her eyes betray her, as well. If that is all, Naruto?"

"Yeah... fine," he said with yet another confused look set in his face. He wanted to ask him who this other person was, but another part of his mind decided against it. His whole philosophy that he lived by his whole life was getting harder and harder to follow as the days drew on.

"Good night then, Naruto-san. It was a pleasure speaking with you, however brief. I look forward to our next meeting." The young man gave a bow and exited the room.

Naruto decided that it was all for the best. He was exhausted, anyhow, and there was a lot on his mind at the moment. It was nice to finally be alone and to have a bed at his disposal. The room looked exquisitely decorated. The walls were covered in light blue wallpaper with varying designs strewn all throughout it. There was a wardrobe against the right wall, and a large king size bed against the farthest one. A small table sat next to it with a thin vase atop. In it was a single flower, a lily if he remembered right.

He took off his sandals and unstrapped his sword and bow holsters, placing them against the table. With a satisfied sigh, he collapsed on the bed and looked at the ceiling. Naruto's mind was on the conversation he just had with Sasuke. He had said that his brother was up to something, in not so many words, but he just didn't know what. And what was up with the whole marriage thing? He thought that Hinata would only be there to deliver some sort of peace offering and be done with it. How the heck could she marry someone she didn't know, let alone love? Sasuke had told him that he sure didn't love her, either, but that she loved someone else. But who?

"Damn, why should I even care anyway," he said to himself. "She's free to love whoever she wants. I'm just here to keep her alive and my wallet full. I don't even know why she's in my head so much..." Frustrated at this new realization, he forcefully grabbed the pillow and placed it over his eyes with his arms crossed at the elbows on top. _"I should just get some sleep before I drive myself crazy."_

_

* * *

_

_Knock-Knock._

"_What is that...? I'm trying to sleep..."_

_Knock-Knock._

"Ugh, damn it," Naruto whispered as he threw the pillow off the bed and got up.

_Knock-Knock._

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

He walked over to the door slowly and tugged it open. In front of him stood a very scared looking Hinata. She had her fore fingers pressing together and was slightly hunched over. It looked kind of... cute.

"What do you want, Hinata? Is something wrong?" he asked his shy charge, perhaps a bit more forcefully than he intended.

"I-I'm sorry to disturb you so late, N-Naruto-san. May I... come in?"

"I guess. Come on." He stepped out of the way to let her in, and she happily agreed. Shutting the door, he turned back to her as she sat on the bed's edge. "What's wrong?" he asked again.

"I came to apologize. For the other night."

"That's all fine and dandy, but why? You didn't do anything wrong."

"Oh, but I did! I ran away from you so abruptly. I didn't mean to be so rude." Once again she looked to the floor in shame.

"You woke me up for that? Jeez Hinata, you worry way too much. It's not good for you."

"Again, I-I apologize," she whispered. Naruto couldn't help but feel bad for her. Perhaps he was being a bit harsh with her, but it's not his fault that he gets grumpy from being awoken so late at night. He scratched the back of his head and sighed.

"No, I should be the one to apologize. I didn't mean to sound so angry."

"It's fine, Naruto-san. I understand perfectly." He noticed that she seemed to cheer up a bit after that. "How is your wound?"

"Barely noticeable. Forgot all about it actually."

"I'm glad..."

There was an awkward silence after that. He was watching her as she did anything but stare at him. In fact, she seemed particularly interested in the flower on the table. After a minute of watching her he finally decided to speak.

"There's something else on your mind." It wasn't a question.

She looked back to him. "H-hai..."

"Well?"

"I just... I'm having doubts about... about-"

"About the marriage?"

"Mm-hm. I admit, it scares me. I just can't marry someone who I have no romantic feelings for. And Sasuke-san seems like a very nice person. I couldn't possibly do that to him."

"Why come to me about this? Wouldn't Neji be a wiser choice to confide your feelings to?"

"One w-would think so, but... he and I are not as close as you think. I think that you would understand me more than he."

"But why me?"

She blushed. "B-because you and I are more alike than you would think. Even though we were raised under different conditions, we both yearned for the same things. Our parents were both out of reach, our friends are few, if any, and thus we live sheltered lives. But, you had to fight for your survival from what I understand, whereas I was pampered to be used as a mindless marionette. You grew from your experiences, and I admire your strength and resilience that you gained from them. It is those qualities that I feel you can pass unto me, so that I may cut the strings that bind me so."

Listening to this opened up Naruto's eyes and caused him to see Hinata in a different light. From the moment when he first met her, he knew that she was different than most of those with wealth should be. Even though she had family near and around her, she still grew up without truly ever knowing her parents, and it even seemed that her sister and Neji were kept at bay as well. Perhaps she really was just there as eye-candy for her family to do with as they pleased. It was saddening, really.

"I... don't know what to say, Hinata," he said quietly. "It's not like I can just stop the wedding."

"I-I know, and I don't expect you to. It just comforts me to know that I can trust you with my problems."

Naruto walked over to the bed and sat next to her. It was now that he noticed she wore her nightgown. He blushed a little knowing that it was only that thin layer of clothing separating them from contact. _"Don't think about things like that!"_

"Sometimes, I wish that I was never born as a Hyuuga. I wish that I had the freedom that you have, to go away and do as I please."

"Yeah well, it's not as fun as you might think."

"Maybe so, but it is better than being me, I am sure."

"Don't put yourself down like that. There's nothing wrong with you."

"Do you really think so?"

"Hai, but I will agree that what you're being forced to do isn't exactly on my 'To Do' list."

"You're very sweet, Naruto-san..." Naruto blushed, but not more so than Hinata when she realized what she had said.

"How can you say that with a straight face?" he asked he while scratching the back of his head. "I haven't exactly been the nicest guy to you."

"I-I know you say a lot of things that others may interpret as harmful, but I also know that you are only speaking your mind. You don't mean to sound so harsh."

"What if I told you that I was lying about what I thought of you?"

"Then I would think that you have a very wonderful sense of humor."

"So there's nothing I can say that will drive you off, is that correct?"

"Very much so," she laughed. "You are stuck with me whether you like it or not!"

"Or at least until your gold has run out. Then I'd go find another job."

Hinata pouted. "You're so mean, Naruto-kun."

Naruto couldn't help but feel elated at the new suffix she used for his name.

"Don't contradict yourself. You just said that I was 'sweet', now your calling me mean. Make up your mind."

"I think I'll take back my former comment, you are definitely mean."

"That's better."

He could tell that Hinata was definitely feeling much better than when she had come to him earlier. It was nice to know that he could make her feel better when she needed it.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," she said after a brief pause.

"For what?"

"F-for cheering me up. I am glad that we met."

"I... you're welcome."

Silence reigned again for another few minutes. Hinata sat playing with her fingers while Naruto had leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, thinking of what to say next.

"I should go back to my room n-now," Hinata said in a disappointed tone.

"Alright," said Naruto as he stood with her. He walked with her to the door and opened it for her. However, before he could wish her good night, she had embraced him. It lasted for only ten seconds or so, but it didn't feel awkward. In fact, it felt wonderful and just so right. His mind was telling him to stop the hug, but his heart thought otherwise. He could feel her heart beating against his and the sound of her breathing as she had placed her head between his shoulder and neck. Her scent was intoxicating to him, and he could feel her breath caress his skin. How he wished this would never end...

...And then just like that, it was over. His mind had taken over again and wondered what on earth just happened.

"G-good night, Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered hastily and retreated out the door to her room..

"Good night," he said into the hall, still flabbergasted as to what just happened.

* * *

**Whew, that one took me a bit to sort out. Let me know what you guys think, eh? Reviews are always fun to read :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Drum roll please! Without further ado, here's chapter 7 :) Enjoy. And thank you so much everyone who's reviewed and those who have read this far into the story without dropping it. It warms my heart.**

* * *

The night was cold and the breeze sent a chill right down to his very bones. He stood waiting in the outskirts of the forest just beyond the estate for his money-hungry 'friend' to appear. The silence did nothing for his patience. It was wearing thin the longer he waited. Soon enough he would end up just leaving the encounter for later, when a figure casually walked from the bushes. All impatience forgotten, he made to stand before the new arrival and asked what was burning across his mind all night.

"Is it done?"

"Hai, Itachi-kun. My men have him incapacitated at our hideout as we speak," the strange man answered in a very sinister voice.

"Excellent. You have done well. Rest assured, your actions will not go unrewarded. I will have the payment sent to you tomorrow morning."

"See to it that it is. I'll not hesitate to kill him outright if you fail to uphold your part of the bargain."

"Would it not be better to kill me as well?"

"That can be arranged, but I prefer to play with my food before I eat it, if you know what I mean," he grinned sickeningly.

"All too well, and it is in good measure that I chose you to carry out this job. There were no complications, I trust?"

"Nothing my men and I couldn't handle. His security was lax, as predicted. It was all just routine from there."

"Good, good. Make sure that he suffers no harm. It is imperative that he stay alive."

"Hai, I'll see to it that he does. However, should he grow restless, I don't think I have it in me to hold myself back."

"As you wish, just don't kill him."

"I heard you the first time. Now, will that be all?"

"Indeed. A job well done, Orochimaru. I will notify you as to when phase two will begin."

"By your leave then, Itachi-kun."

Orochimaru turned and fled back into the woods. Yes, everything was falling into place. Soon, Itachi thought, he will return the Uchiha clan to its former glory. All that remains is his dear brother and the Hyuuga brat's wedding.

* * *

_Knock-Knock_

"_What now...?"_

_Knock-Knock_

"Ugh, my first good night sleep in ages, and it seems the gods have it in for me..."

_Knock-Knock-Knock!_

"Yeah, I'm coming, damn it!"

The groggy Naruto wrenched open the door after once again being awoken from his well-deserved rest. However, It wasn't Hinata standing at his door this time. It was someone he had least expected.

"Yo," came Kakashi's annoyingly calm voice.

"What is it?" Naruto asked grumpily.

"I didn't wake you did I?" His eye was screwed up into a confused, sympathetic look.

"No, now what the hell do you want?"

"Are you sure I didn't wake you? I would feel just awful if I did. I know how frustrating it can be."

"_Is this guy serious?"_

"Perhaps I should come back later," he said as he turned to walk away.

"Hang on a second!" The mercenary thrust out his arm and caught a hold of the bodyguard's collar and forced him to turn around. "Listen, I don't know what your deal is, but you're pissing me off. Either tell me what's going on or I burn that precious book you love so much."

Kakashi's eye grew wide with shock and fear. Certainly no one could be so cruel? It was a limited edition for Kami's sake! "I was merely sent to tell you that Sasuke-sama would like a word with you. He also told me that... that..." His eye swiveled back and forth, thinking of the right words. "...That if my book came to any harm, you will be charged with buying me a new one, and that includes shipping and tax." Yes, that should get him.

Naruto looked utterly perplexed. Surely this guy wasn't the same person that Itachi was talking about?

"I highly doubt that he said that last part."

"Oh, but he did. I also forgot to mention that it must be a first edition, and those can be very pricey. I hope you can afford it."

"Oh really? How 'pricey'?"

"Mm, I don't know. I would say at least one-thousand gold. Plus tax and shipping, of course."

"You can't be serious."

"As a heart attack, my friend."

"...Did you fall on your head when you were a kid?"

Kakashi chuckled. "Don't be ridiculous. No one can drop themselves on their own head!"

Naruto gave a frustrated sigh. "That's not what I- You know what? Never mind, you're too easy. Just take me to Sasuke."

"Hai, as you wish Naruto-san."

He followed the whacked out guardian back into the main hall. From there, they headed into a larger room still on the opposite side of the guest wing. From the look of it, this had to be the dining room. There was a huge table that stretched on across the long room. There were four people seated at the end of it, from what he could tell. As he came closer, he saw that it was Sasuke, Hinata, (for some odd reason) Tenten, and (much to his dismay) Neji.

Hinata looked up from her conversation with the Uchiha to Naruto and blushed madly. He could just make out a whispered "Ohayo, Naruto-kun" from her direction.

"Good morning, Naruto-san! I hope that you slept well?" said Sasuke enthusiastically.

"Some-what," he said, looking at Hinata, then Kakashi briefly.

"Ah, I am sorry to hear that. Please, have a seat next to Hinata-chan. I shall have food brought to you."

"I'm not all that hungry," he said as he sat beside the now quivering girl. He could see with some delight that her hand was shaking so badly, she was slopping orange juice all over the table from trying to lift her glass.

"Are you certain?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

"Very well. Kakashi," he said looking to his bodyguard. He once again pulled out his book and ignored what was going on around him. "Kaka- Oh never mind. I'll just let him be. He'll look up from his blasted book soon enough."

"Is he always so careless?" Naruto asked while glaring at that god-forsaken book.

"Only during his leisure time. Don't let him fool you, though, I assure you that he is an excellent guardian."

"Whatever. What did you call me for?"

"Oh, yes. I would like to speak with Hinata-chan in private, but she insisted that you come along with her. It appears that she is afraid to stray too far from her protector," he said while smiling to the now cherry-red Hyuuga.

Naruto looked at her as well. He could tell that she was extremely uncomfortable while sitting next to him. Perhaps he should do something to ease her nerves? _"I'm gonna regret this..."_

Out of sight from the others, he subtly moved his right hand and placed it on her elbow. Neji and Tenten were occupied in a conversation about who knows what, while Sasuke was again attempting to rouse Kakashi from his readings. He squeezed slightly and whispered so that only she could hear him.

"There's no need to be so nervous. Stop that now or else you'll give yourself a heart attack."

She looked up into his cool blue eyes with her beautiful lavender orbs and immediately stopped fidgeting. Nodding to him slowly, she sat up in her seat and squeezed his hand, still on her elbow, with her opposite one.

"Thank you..." she whispered back.

He nodded to her response and turned back to see that Sasuke had a huge grin on his face, eyes shifting to and fro to each of them. It also appeared that Neji and Tenten had stopped talking, and now Neji sat glaring at Naruto, while Tenten had a small smile and a light blush adorning her cheeks.

"I-is something the matter?" Hinata asked worriedly. Neji looked as if he was going to respond but Tenten had kicked his ankle underneath the table and stifled him.

"No, nothing at all," said Sasuke, still looking highly amused. "If you are done with your breakfast, Hinata-chan?"

"O-oh, yes. Shall we?"

"We shall. Kakashi!" Kakashi had no choice but to look up, for Sasuke had tore the book from his fingers and was now dangling it in front of his face. "Business before pleasure, my friend. Come."

"_-Sigh-_ Hai, Sasuke-kun," he said dejectedly while taking his book back.

"This way, please."

"Be careful, Hinata-sama!" Neji had shouted from his place at the table, while Tenten was giggling madly for who knows what reason.

The three of them follow the raven-haired heir outside and around the huge mansion. The path they took led them into the huge garden out in the back of the estate. It had flowers of all kinds, in various colors of all shades and hues. The hedges were sculpted in varying animal shapes. The path that cut through it led to a small pond with a bridge that crossed over it, and if he looked close enough, Naruto could see all kinds of species of fish, no bigger than his fist.

Kakashi stopped just before the bridge. "I'll just wait here then." Before anyone could respond, sure enough he had already pulled out his small orange book and was lost from humanity.

"Guess I will, too," Naruto said.

"Actually, Naruto-san, I think it would be in your best interest to join us. No doubt you would be interested in what we are to discuss," Sasuke had said cheerfully.

"I-I agree. Please join us, Naruto-kun."

He looked at Hinata and let his gaze linger on her eyes longer than he had wanted. But he just could not help himself, her eyes were just so... beautiful.

"Naruto-san?"

The blond still looked at the woman before him when he responded. "Hn?"

Sasuke chuckled at them again and cleared his throat. "I, ah, think we should proceed on the bridge. I don't mean to interrupt your moon-gazing, but it cannot be helped."

Naruto blushed and tore his eyes away from the beauty before him, who in turn quickly shifted her gaze to her feet and twiddled with her fingers. "...Right. Gomen."

"Not to worry." They turned and walked towards the middle of the bridge and stopped. Naruto had lingered behind a bit and stood a good length away from the two, but close enough that he could hear and participate in the upcoming conversation if the need should arise.

"Now," started Sasuke, "I would like to discuss the events of the not-so-distant future. You are both aware of my views on this marriage, but I am curious to know what goes in your minds concerning this matter. Please, if it is not too much trouble, I would listen to what you would have to say."

Hinata had listened intently to what he was saying, and looked to him, then Naruto. She wasn't sure if she should go first or wait to see if the former would respond. Then again, it wasn't like Naruto to start a conversation unless directly asked. Even then, it all depended on whether or not he felt like it.

"W-well, I also do not wish to proceed with the marriage. Of course, i-it has nothing to do with you, Sasuke-kun. It's just..."

A moment of silence passed as Hinata thought of how best to phrase her next thought. "I am tired of being seen as an object. I care for my clan, I really do, but this is not how I wish to help and support it. I want to make my own decisions, and I would like to live my life without the constant monotony and isolation that has plagued me for as long as I have drawn breath."

"A sad tale indeed. I wish there was more that I could do for you, Hinata-chan."

"Arigato, Sasuke-kun. But you have already done enough by being so understanding, and for being such a good friend."

"Stop it, you're making me blush," the young man laughed. "Well, thank you for sharing." He turned to the silent warrior. "What about you, Naruto-san?"

"I don't think my views will change the fact that the marriage will still be held."

"Yes, we are quite aware of that. But I still value your opinion on the matter."

"It's not important. Just drop it."

Sasuke looked put off and exchanged glances with Hinata. It seems that in the short moment, they came to a silent agreement.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata pleaded. "Please tell us. I-I know that it will not change anything, but... it will help to ease our nerves on the matter, if only a little."

For some reason the sound of her voice pleading for him to speak his mind turned him to jelly. It was so infuriatingly wonderful that she had such hold over him, and he could not help but yield to her every want and need.

"Damn it. You're not going to let this go, are you?"

She gave him that sweet, innocent smile that plagued his thoughts every time he closed his eyes. "Of c-course not."

"Alright, fine. You really want to know what I think? I think the whole thing is pointless. To me it seems that the Hyuuga have no reason to join with the Uchiha. Everyone in Fire Country knows that they hold the most power over any clan, and their territory stretches over most of the land. It seems to me that there's something driving this whole corrupt wedding behind the scenes, and I don't like it. I think you're both in danger. Don't ask me why, I just feel it. Ever since I stepped into this wretched place, I've been uneasy. And to top it all off, I find it sick that two people are being forced to be with someone that they don't love. Love is a choice every human being is entitled to, and it's disgusting that nobles follow such idiotic traditions! They treat it like it's currency to be thrown away on whatever they wish, and as you very well know, not everyone can be so wealthy."

Hinata looked shocked, to say the least. One reason could be because she had never heard him say so much at one time, but it was mostly because it seemed that the last bit wasn't about the wedding anymore. Sasuke just stood there, mulling over what was said in his mind.

"Naruto-kun... I d-don't know what to say. I had no idea that... that-"

"Spare me your sympathy, Hinata. I already told you that I don't need or want it."

"Naruto-san, there's no need to be so harsh. She is only concerned about you."

"It's alright, Sasuke-kun. I know that he doesn't mean to sound so harsh. It is just how he is."

"Whatever, " Naruto said bitterly. "You wanted to know what I think and I told you. I didn't say it was going to be all candy and daisies."

"So I see," Sasuke responded. "Naruto, have you any leads on what it is behind all of this?"

"I already told you that I think your brother is up to something. I don't trust the bastard."

"If that's so, then I may be able to uncover something. It is just a matter of making sure he is out of the house long enough for me to investigate."

"You think I-Itachi-sama is untrustworthy?"

"Hai. It seems his motives have strayed from the path of righteousness. Although it pains me to say it, we must put a stop to whatever it is that he is hiding."

"Tch. Good luck with that," Naruto said offhandedly.

"Indeed, we will need it. I think I may have an idea, but I don't know for sure if it will work. I will fill you in on it once I have worked out the flaws. Until then, there is one more matter to address."

"What is it?" Hinata asked curiously.

He black-haired man smirked. "It seem that your cousin has growing suspicions that you two are, ah... _intimate._"

Hinata's face flared and Naruto's eye flew as wide as they can go. They both responded at the same time.

"N-nani!?"

"Bull shit."

Oh this was just to great to pass up. Sasuke was having a field day with these two. "HA HA HA! And I cannot blame him! You two may not realize, but you can be painfully obvious to others yet blissfully oblivious to yourselves. It is almost too much for me to comprehend. If you ask me, I think it is _you _two that should be getting married."

"S-Sasuke-kun!" Hinata had never been so flustered before in her life! Oh how she wished she could just melt into the earth right now and be spared this humiliation.

"That's it, I'm done. I don't have time to listen to your moronic assumptions. Think what you want but I assure you that there is nothing between Hinata and I other than the fact that she is my employer and I am her guardian."

"Come now, Naruto! It was only an innocent observation. Please, there is no need to be so rash-"

"And why not!? I wasn't asked here to talk about the what-ifs about my personal affairs! I already told you more than I should have and I regret the fact that I even decided to take on this job! It's been nothing but a huge pain in my ass since the very start!"

He said it before he could even stop himself. It was as if his mind went on auto pilot and left him to deal with the aftermath. Realizing what he said, he looked at Hinata and saw that she was on the verge of tears. It was so heartbreaking for him to bear.

"_Shit."_

"Is that w-what you really think?" she whispered to his feet. For the life of him, Naruto had no idea what to say. It wasn't like he could take back his words on a whim. His silence was answer enough for her.

"_-Sniff-_ I see... E-excuse me," she said quickly and pushed past Naruto and Sasuke.

"Hinata..." he said, but it fell on deaf ears as her tears finally fell. He watched as she ran towards the mansion and kept on going, not even sparing him a second glance.

* * *

**Ouch, a cliffy. Sorry about that, but I had to end it there. I hope you guys liked it, please leave a review, if you are so inclined :) See you all in chapter 8!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again everybody, long time no see. I apologize for the extremely late update. A loyal reviewer of mine requested that I update soon, and as I have told her, there was a death in the family lately, so I just have't felt like writing as of late. However, I felt that I owed it to you guys, and although this chapter is half as short as the last one, it's better than nothing. I'd like to thank her for reminding me to update, she knows who she is. I hope you guys enjoy.**

**A/N: I didn't have time to spell check this chapter, so figive me for any mistakes you might find. If it's very noticeable, please feel free to PM me and I'll edit it when I can.**

* * *

It was a few minutes before he realized that the few longest minutes of his life had passed. In his mind all he could think about was Hinata's tear-streaked face and the look of absolute disappointment. And she had every right to be. He had screwed up bigger than he had ever done before, but the difference this time was that he actually _cared_ about it, and for the life of him Naruto just could not figure out why his feelings had grown so iron-clad within such a short space of time.

"Naruto...?"

The voice broke the troubled youth from his thoughts. He had forgotten that Sasuke had been there. The Uchiha must have thought that Naruto was such a loser, if he hadn't already. The mercenary turned to the person behind him. His face showed that of the utmost pity.

"Perhaps you should go after her," Sasuke suggested.

"I don't think that she'd want to talk to me, let alone look at me. I'm... such an idiot. It came out before I could even think-"

"Naruto, it's not me you should be apologizing to," he interrupted. "I think you should hurry to her side before word spreads and more damage is done."

Of course by damage, he could only mean one thing. Or, rather, one person, and Naruto knew exactly who. He look at Sasuke in the eyes and gave a quick nod before he turned and headed back towards the mansion.

Entering the main hall, he quickly made his way through the door to where the guest rooms were. His heart was beating wildly in his chest as he came closer to Hinata's quarters, and he knew it wasn't because he was in a rush. It hadn't occurred to him that danger could be lurking nearby, waiting to pounce at the right moment. All thoughts were currently on Hinata, and making things right between them. Finally after seemingly eternity, he reached her door and gave it three hard knocks.

The young man could hear a voice coming from the other side, but it didn't sound like hers. A second later, the knob turned and the wooden barrier creaked open. However, it wasn't the person he was looking to see. Two cold, piercing white eyes bore into him. Neji had answered the door, and he looked simply irate. But it didn't matter. The snooty Hyuuga could be invisible for all he cared. He attempted to peer over his shoulder, but his actions were futile, for Neji had already slammed the door behind him and continued to glare.

"Uzumaki," he uttered through gritted teeth. Before Naruto could respond, two hand gripped the hem of his shirt and thrust him back against the opposite wall.

"I _warned_ you to stay away from her, did I not?" His question was met with silence, the object of his rage glaring back at him with equal intensity, yet not making a single attempt to pry himself free of the iron grip.

"You hurt her, and now it is I who will hurt you. Draw your sword, lapdog."

"You know it's kinda hard to draw it with you keeping me against the wall like this."

"Still as cheeky as ever. Perhaps I should slit your throat here and now and be done with it? Kami knows it will do Hinata and I a world of good."

Naruto smirked. "With a blade as dull as that butter knife you call a sword? I'm shaking in my boots."

"You'll pay dearly for that one, sell sword!" It was in an instant that the Hyuuga's blade was against his throat, pressing firmly against the mere inch of flesh that protected his jugular.

"I knew you were too much of a coward to beat me in a real fight," Naruto said.

"You..."

The sound of the door opening behind them stopped Neji from following through with his actions. His grip slackened only the slightest bit, but it was enough for Naruto to push his arm away and duck out of his grasp. He stood facing Neji, ready to fight, but was halted by that wonderful voice.

"Neji-niisan...?" Hinata had emerged from the room. Her eyes were red and swollen, trails of dried tears evidence enough for Naruto to realize that she was still quite upset.

"What's going on?"

"Hinata-sama," her cousin answered, "It is nothing. Go back inside and wait for me."

"No. I-I told you not to hurt him, didn't I?"

He sighed in defeat and looked guiltily to the floor. "Hai. It is just... I could not allow him to get away with hurting you."

Hearing that, Naruto couldn't help but feel as if there was still a chance the Hinata wasn't angry with him, at least not anymore. Still, it was much too early to tell.

"You are very kind, Neji. But please, allow me to deal with him. I think Tenten-chan might need your assistance," she said with an air of finality. Neji had no choice but to obey.

"I... okay. By your leave, Hinata." He made his way out of the hall, but not before throwing one last glowering look Naruto's way and leaving them alone.

She just stood there and watched him. To him it was like being a small child in the presence of his intimidating mother, yet Hinata was anything but. It was now or never.

"Hinata, I..." It had just occurred to him that he had no clue what to say. He had never had to apologize to anyone before, especially willingly. Now that the time called for it, he was simply speechless.

"It's okay, Naruto. Y-You don't have to say anything," she said, downcast. "I understand now how you feel, and I was just thinking that I have not considered your feelings at all during this whole trip."

"...What do you mean?"

"I mean that... that maybe perhaps it was a mistake to offer you a job that you clearly did not want."

It was as if an arrow had just pierced his heart, and the sad, cold truth of it all was that it was completely true. Now he really did have nothing to say to even remotely prove false her accusation. "I see..."

"Th-therefore, I have come to a decision that I am sure will make you very happy."

"Hinata, you have to let me explain. I-"

"Please don't make this harder than it already is," she whispered pleadingly. He had no choice but to remain silent, for he could never deny a request from her, something he was finding to be more common as of late.

"I hereby release you of your duties," she said as she reached for a small pouch tied to her wait. Gingerly, she untied it and forced the bag into his hand. "Payment for your troubles, I hope that- that it is to your satisfaction." Her voice had wavered and her eyes were absolutely brimming with tears. She felt as if she could longer stem their flow, and Naruto could only watch her whilst wallowing in guilt.

"So that's it," he asked her softly.

"Hai..."

The young man gave a small, nearly inaudible sigh, and turned towards his room in order to gather his things.

"N-Naruto?"

He looked back at the weeping princess, giving her his full attention and hoping that she had changed her mind.

"Just so you know, I'm glad it was you who took the job. Even if you are not. Good- goodbye." And with that, the door had closed with a soft -click-, and she was gone.

He didn't know what to feel, what to think, or even what to do. He had just quite possibly let the greatest person he had ever known slip through his fingers, and he had never felt more down. Taking this job, he knew that it would not be like the others. He just had no idea how much that really meant. Hell, he even laughed and scoffed at the idea of Hinata ever befriending him, and vice-versa. After all of Neji's warnings, they had only made it sure that the two would meet eventually, and Naruto only thought to laugh at the man for his misfortune. Now, however, it was mostly likely Neji laughing at him, or at least he no doubt would be once he heard the news.

But, damn. He couldn't just leave. If Hinata stayed here, she would surely still be in danger. Yet she wanted nothing more to do with him anymore. Now his mind was at war with his heart, each vying for dominance over the other. His mind said go while his heart said stay. If this continued, the mercenary was sure that he would come quite close to falling over the brink of insanity. Alas, it was his body that acted as the mediator. It was as if it had a mind of its own, and he could see it enter his room and gather his belongings, dutifully tying his bow to his back along with his travelers bag. Now he was walking passed her room again, but it suddenly stopped.

Before continuing on his way, he held up the pouch filled with Hinata's payment, the payment that he had not, in his eyes, earned. Looking at it for a few seconds, he turned his hand over and let it fall to the floor. The hollow sound of clinking metal resounded in the hall, and he kept his eyes on it.

"I'm glad I did, too," he said to it.

Again his body had begun to function on its own, and led him out of the manor towards the huge gates.

* * *

**There you have it. I hope it was satisfactory. Don't worry, the story will continue. I wrote an outline for it long before I even started it, so there's absolutely no reason for me NOT to finish it. However, I can only promise that I will get the next chapter out when I can. Thank you, everyone, for sticking with the story so far. We will see this thing through to the end. 'Til next time, take it easy.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey there. I finally got around to writing this, I hope it's satisfactory. Again, I apologize for the lateness. Hopefully you guys will be able to to keep up after such a long time. I got to spell checking this one again, but I'm sure I might've missed a few things. I'd like to take this time to ask if anyone would like to volunteer as a beta for the upcoming chapters? You would have to be well taught in grammer and punctiation, obviously. Please PM me if you are interested :) Anyways, on with the show!**

* * *

It was an hour ago that he watched Naruto make his way back toward the manor in hopes of reconciling with Hinata. During that time he had mainly thought of his next course of action, and whether or not Naruto had actually succeeded in his attempts.

"She did seem rather upset. Do you think he has a chance of gaining her forgiveness?" asked a bored voice from behind him. His mind was still elsewhere as he looked down at the water flowing beneath the bridge. The sound was rather comforting.

"I forgot you were still here, Kakashi," Sasuke responded in a weary voice as he turned to his guardian. "I really don't know, but one can only hope."

"What do you think will happen if she doesn't? It could make things more difficult for us if he's not around anymore," he said as he turned the page of his book.

He sighed. "No matter what Hinata decides, I will support her decision to the fullest. But let's not talk as if the worst has come to pass. It may be that she only needs to let off some steam. I know Naruto had no intention of hurting her. But I can't help but feel that this is all my fault..."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

The young Uchiha leaned his back against the railing and looked downcast. "It was only meant to be a harmless joke, but because of my stupidity and meddling, I may have hurt both of them. I was so sure that they have come to terms with their feelings for one another, but it turns out I was wrong. I'm so ashamed."

Kakashi was silent for a few minutes, idly turning the pages of his book every few seconds. He was aware that Sasuke was drowning in his own remorse, but he knew that his charge was strong and this would soon pass. Sasuke sighed again.

"You're aware of the material I'm reading, correct?" he asked suddenly.

"Wha... Er, yes. Of course. Why is that of any importance all of a sudden?" Sasuke asked, flustered.

"Well," the guardian continued with a smile behind his mask, "There's a story in here that I think you would find interesting in your current situation."

"What nonsense is this now? Why would I be interested in... that?"

Never taking his eye off of the book, he answered, "The story goes like this. Two people, a young man and a young woman, meet one day in the most unexpected way imaginable."

"Um, and that would be?"

"Grocery shopping."

Sasuke sweat dropped. "...Grocery shopping?"

"That's what I said. Any who...," he paused. "Well technically, she was grocery shopping. The young man, however, was shopping in his own, unique way. He was shopping for wallets, in a crowded market place I might add."

"So he was a thief, you mean."

"Correct. It was just like any other day for him. He was scouting out the crowd, looking for that perfect sucker to be his next victim. As he scanned the crowd, that's when he saw her. She was beautiful beyond compare. No gemstone could ever match the beauty that she radiated. Her lips were so full and luscious, her eyes sparkled like light against the rain. Those wonderful curves, oh how he so wanted to get her in the sack and make a real woman out of her. He could feel his loins burning and swelling at the thought of her large, firm brea-"

"Kakashi!" His charge interrupted with flushed cheeks.

The older man cleared his throat loudly, grinning sheepishly behind that mask of his. He scratched the back of his head. "Oh, ah, sorry. I guess I got a little carried away..."

"A little? Could you please act more your age? The female body is not for your mind to corrupt. I knew those books were bad for you."

"I apologize. In my defense, I was just going by how the book described her."

Sasuke slapped his hand to his forehead and sighed yet again. This man was hopeless. "Yes, well, perhaps you should just skip to the point of all of this. My patience is wearing thin."

Kakashi cleared his throat again. "Well, as you could tell, the young man fell in love with her almost instantly. After stealing her wallet and having her chase him out to an open, desolate field, he stopped and proclaimed his love for her."

"Yes, yes, we've established that. Could you please hurry?"

"Patience, Sasuke-sama."

"..."

"Of course this woman felt nothing but the purest of hatred for this young man, and she in turn laughed at him and just as vigorously proclaimed her hate for him. This caused the boy to become hurt, of course, but right then and there he vowed to never give up on her."

"Why would he do that? It seems like such a lost cause to me."

"Over the past year," he continued as if he had not been interrupted, "he had done everything in his power to get her to fall in love with him. Flowers, sweets, jewelery, and the like. Anything you can think of, he tried it. Then finally, exactly one year after they had met, she confronted him in the same field and asked him why he would not give up."

"...And?" Despite his guardian's choice of reading material, he had to admit that it was an interesting story.

"He responded plain and simply, 'Because I love you. I would go to the ends of the earth to prove it to you, no matter how long it takes.'"

"She didn't seriously fall in love with him after that, did she?" the boy asked incredulously.

Kakashi again smiled behind his mask. "Why, of course she did. Don't you think she would have been so stupid to pass up someone who would love her unconditionally as he?"

"Well... I suppose she would. It can indeed be very difficult to find someone to love you so much."

"Very true. And did this story help you at all?"

Sasuke thought about the question, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out the relevance of this particular story. "Not that I can see."

"Well then, let me enlighten you. If someone could go from hating another person so absolutely, as the young woman had the young man, to falling in love with them, what do you think would happen between Hinata and Naruto? I, for one, believe that they will be able to get through any problems they may have, no matter how long it takes for them to figure out their feelings. Your worries are totally for naught."

"I... suppose you have a point. If even you can see how much they mean to each other, then even they themselves don't stand a chance against love's pull."

Sasuke looked visibly better than he had just a few minutes ago. But still, there was that nagging feeling at the back of his mind that something had gone wrong.

"You still have doubts?" Kakashi asked.

"Mm. I think we should go check on Hinata. It's been quite a long while since Naruto left to find her."

"As you wish."

The young man turned to go but stopped and addressed his bodyguard. "Thank you, Kakashi. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Hm? What was that?" For previously, Kakashi had once again gone back to his book, not having a care in the world.

Sasuke smiled and shook his head. "Nothing. Let's go."

"Hn." -page turns-

_**

* * *

Knock! Knock! Knock!**_

"Wh-who is it?" came a muffled voice from behind the door.

"It's Sasuke. I came to see if you were alright," he shouted through the door.

"J-just a minute," Hinata called back. He could hear shuffling from behind the door, and what sounded like a few sniffles. He had hoped she wasn't still too upset.

The door creaked open. The young woman smiled warmly at him, but it was obvious to anyone that it was just a ruse, her tear streaked cheeks and red nose giving her away.

"Oh, Hinata, you look terrible," he said in genuine concern.

"It's nothing," she said softly, "Please, come in." She stepped to the side and held the door open for him, awaiting his entrance.

"I'll just be out here if you need me," Kakashi said from behind his book.

Sasuke nodded and proceeded to enter the dark room. The first thing he noticed was the mass of tissues discarded all over the bed and floor. Had she been crying this whole time?

"Hinata...," he started.

She shook her head and walked with him towards the bed. "Please, sit down," she offered.

He sat, with her following him and watched her for a moment. He could see the tears still flowing, and had just now noticed a moderate-sized pouch in her hands. She was idly fiddling with its leather strings, the chinking of metal resounding around the room. Her sniffles were just barely heard over it, and she even hiccuped every now and then. In short, she was a complete mess, and it was all his fault.

"I... I should apologize to you, Hinata. I'm so sorry."

She looked up in surprise. This was something she least expected to come from him. "Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong."

"Didn't I? Hinata, if only I had kept my ill humor to myself, Naruto would have never blown up like that. I had no idea he would say something so hurtful." He got up from the bed and bowed as low as he could to her. "It's all my fault... Please forgive me."

"N-no, you should not be sorry for what he said. If anything, I should be thanking you. It allowed me to know just how Naruto felt towards all of this. Towards... me."

"Hinata, no!" Sasuke responded to her, louder than he intended. "You mustn't believe for a single instant that that is how he really feels about you. Could you not see it in his eyes just how much pain he was in for keeping such a loose tongue?" He took a deep breath and placed both hands on her shoulders, so she was forced to look into his eyes. "If there's anything to believe, then please believe that he in no way would ever hurt you willingly. It's as plain as the very nose on your face that he feels the same about you as you him. Even if he is not willing to admit it."

"R-really...?"

"Hai. I'm sure he was a very cold and calculating mercenary before this journey began, but even I can tell that you were able to change how he thinks. He's not as hardened as he would like me or anyone else to believe."

"How could I have ch-changed him after so short a time? I am nothing special," she sniffed.

"You are to him, of this I am sure. Love works in mysterious ways, Hinata," Sasuke said with a smile.

The beauty blushed a deep crimson upon hearing this. Was love even the right word for how she felt? "You think that he... loves... me?"

The Uchiha gave an exaggerated sigh. "Of _course_ he does. Weren't you paying attention to what I was saying?" he asked, now grinning madly.

Hinata giggled quietly to herself and blushed even further. Sasuke continued.

"And you love him."

Her Opaline eyes widened as she gasped, looking at him as if he had called her an obscene swear-word.

"Surely you don't deny it?" he asked in disbelief.

"I..."

This was getting ridiculous now, Sasuke thought. She was as bad as Naruto was!

"If you didn't love him, then why would you take his words to heart? It's time now to banish any doubts you may have before we go any further. Otherwise, everything up until this point has been a complete waste of time, both mine and yours."

His words were harsh coming from someone like him, but by the gods he was right. She thought back to the first time she saw him, although he couldn't see her from her position in the carriage. He had just come out of the main gates of Konoha and was scanning the scene. She saw Neji approach him, and some words were exchanged. His face showed confusion, but after a few seconds he shrugged it off.

It was then that she noticed his eyes. They were very familiar to her. Not because she had seen him before (she hadn't), but because every time she looked into a mirror, she saw the same eyes staring back at her: eyes full of hurt, of sorrow, of loneliness, but most of all, of yearning. Perhaps she had finally found someone to relate to, someone who could comfort her and understand exactly what it was she had to go through during her life. It was then that this wonderful feeling was born inside of her. So warm and full of hope, hope for a better tomorrow.

"Hinata-chan? Are you okay?"

Sasuke's voice brought her back from the depths of her mind. He looked worried, but it was okay now. She finally understood what that feeling was, and why she was so drawn towards that cold, spiteful mercenary.

"I love him," she said breathlessly.

The raven-haired man grinned wide upon hearing this.

"I really do. I didn't know it then, but ever since I first laid my eyes on him, I felt something within me. It was love. I'm... so ashamed now!"

"W-what?" the boy in front of her asked in surprise.

"I s-sent him away! I d-didn't even give him a chance to explain h-himself. Oh no...," she cried.

"Oh, Hinata. I was afraid of this," he said. He leaned forward and took her in what he hoped was a comforting embrace. She latched onto him and cried into his shoulder.

"I-I'm so stupid. I should have realized... now he's gone," she sobbed.

"He can't have gone too far. I could send Kakashi after him, if you would like?"

The weeping princess looked up at him hopefully. "C-could you? I would be so grateful."

He smiled. "Of course. Just one moment. Please, Hinata, rest now while you can. You must be so emotionally exhausted."

"Hai. Th-thank you, Sasuke-kun. You are truly a wonderful friend."

He stood up from the bed and blushed. "No, I'm not. I'm just doing what I can to make up for my idiocy. Rest now, I'll come and check on you in a minute."

"Okay..."

_

* * *

Oh the book was getting so good now! The 'hero' Ando had just confessed his undying love to the beautiful Saiya, and now he was slowly peeling off her top. The heat radiating off of their bodies was almost unbearable. He passionately kissed her, first on the lips, then down her neck, and finally to her heaving chest. He was just about to unhook her bra when..._

"Kakashi!"

"Huh? Wha...?" he stammered in surprise.

"I need you to go out and find Naruto. It seems that Hinata had made a rash decision to dismiss him from his duties. She is obviously upset about it now and wishes to see him and apologize before it's too late."

"B-but I just got to the good part. Couldn't it wait for just a-"

He couldn't continue, for Sasuke had just swiped his book from his hand and held it between his own, as if to rip it from the middle.

"W-wait! Okay, okay. I'll go. Just please, don't hurt it! It's a first addition for Kami's sake!" At this point Kakashi was now on his knees, pleading with him with everything he had.

"The book stays with me until you bring Naruto back. No 'buts', no questions. It will remain safe unless you fail. Understood?"

"I... Bu-... Hai..."

"Good," his superior said with a smirk. "Go on now, there isn't much time."

Kakashi bowed (reluctantly), and ran for the nearest exit. Honestly, Sasuke thought, what on earth does this man see in those things anyway? He looked at the cover and flipped through the first few pages, before grimacing in disgust and storing it in his back pocket.

"Filthy..." he said as he walked back into Hinata's room.

* * *

Hinata was still laying on her bed, still crying somewhat, but otherwise she seemed to finally settle down. She looked at him as he entered and smiled just a little. He returned it and sat down gently next to her. 

"He's on his way now. Hopefully we shall hear from him before the day's end."

"Thank you so much again. I r-really appreciate this. I-if there's anything I can do...?"

"Just reserve your strength for later. Your thanks is more than enough."

Hinata nodded and looked towards the ceiling. Likewise, Sasuke also looked up. There was a comfortable silence between them. However, Hinata was the first to break it.

"I don't want to go through with the marriage."

"Mm, nor I," he answered quietly.

"Surly there must be a way out of it?"

Sasuke sighed and looked at her lying form. "I cannot promise anything. But I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to stop it."

"H-hai. Me, too."

_**Knock! Knock!**_

They looked to the door to see Neji enter the room. He looked somewhat delighted about something, but tried to hide it. He cleared his throat and spoke.

"Uchiha-sama requests your presence in the main hall," he said to both of them.

* * *

**Another cliffy... Hope you guys aren't too mad about that. We'll get to see Naruto again in the next chapter, though, so hang in there. Thanks a lot for reading, I hope it was enjoyable. Please review, if you feel so inclined. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm sure this is quite a surprise, being so quick with the next chapter and all. I don't know what's gotten in to me but I had the urge to write. I think you guys deserve it. I wanna point out that this chapter takes place during the happenings in chapter 9. I better shut up now, there's a whole new chapter you guys are itching to get to. Enjoy.**

* * *

He was wandering aimlessly wherever his body had decided to take him. His thoughts were so preoccupied with his current situation that he didn't even have a clue as to which direction he was going, but he was sure that going north would eventually lead him back to the village. Of course, the problem now was figuring out which way that was, but try as he might, Naruto just couldn't focus on it right now. His mind was constantly being plagued by thoughts of Hinata. Would he ever see her again? If so, would she even care? The wedding at this point now would be inevitable, since he was sure there would be no valid reason for her or Sasuke to come up with to prevent it.

God, how could he be so stupid? Seeing Hinata's grief-stricken face every time he closed his eyes was simply tearing his heart to pieces, and still he could not pinpoint any logical reason as to why. It was a complete paradox, with no solution in sight. Every time he sought one, he could only think about her wonderfully soft, smooth skin against his fingers, her flowing hair that deeply contrasted her milky complexion, and made her eyes stand out even further. Those eyes... how he longed to see them smile at him one last time, if only for the briefest of moments. To laugh at him upon seeing his puzzled expression, and to comfort him when he felt that he could bear the weight of his burdens no longer...

"Ugh, dammit!" he yelled out to his surroundings, hands clutching his at his head. "_Why is she doing this to me? She's nothing special. So why...?"_

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he failed to realize that he had walked into a heavily wooded area, his outburst sending all manner of wildlife scampering away in terror. Still, he kept his pace steady and continued to walk. The sky, he noticed, had become a bright golden shade, and in an hour or so, maybe less, it would be dark. But he didn't care. The brooding man had decided that even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to sleep anyhow, so why not keep up the pace until he collapsed from sheer exhaustion? At least that way he wouldn't have to put up with these tortuous thoughts any longer. He pressed on for another few minutes, once again thinking of how much one person could change his whole way of thinking in a heartbeat, when the sound of voices caught his ear.

They were faint at first, but as he moved forward, now more quietly so as to not give himself away, they became a bit more lucid. He could just make out the faint glow of a fire. Finally, he came to the edge of a small clearing, careful to keep himself hidden behind a tree and foliage. In it he saw a small, worn down shack, no bigger than his room back home, it seemed. There were two men standing guard, conversing between themselves about how cold it was tonight, among other things.

"...freezing my ass off here. How long do you think we gotta wait?" the first one asked.

"Hell if I know, but one night's enough. Any longer and I think I'll demand a pay raise. This is getting ridiculous," the second exclaimed.

"Yeah, I hear ya. Working on a grunt's salary is hard living."

"I don't even know why I took on this damned job. The boss is such a psycho."

"Do you think you should be talking so loudly about him like that? He could have ears out amongst the trees, you know?"

"Bah, I'll take my chances. It's not like the old man in there's in any condition to tell anyone much of anything."

"Perhaps. I kinda feel sorry for him, though."

"Yeah, well, it's that kinda thinking that gets you killed in this line of work. You gotta be heartless if you wanna make it. Like the boss," he said half-heartedly.

"I don't think I could become _that_ heartless," the first one admitted fearfully.

"Chouji," the second started tiredly, "wasn't it _you_ who wanted to take on this troublesome job in the first place?"

"Y-yeah, I know. But I was hungry at the time, Shikamaru! I was practically dying of starvation from our lack of money."

"_Shikamaru?"_ thought Naruto. _"Didn't he used to-"_

The one named Shikamaru let out a loud yawn. "I should've stayed back in Konoha. At least the pay was better than this."

"Why'd you leave anyway? You never told me the details."

"I guess I got tired of working for that troublesome hag of a woman. That desk job was so boring, and she was such a pain. Did you know I couldn't even get in a nice nap without her blowing her top at me?"

"Ha-ha, wow she sounds like a real bi-"

"Are you boys enjoying your leisure time?" A smooth voice cut in from across the clearing.

Out of the bushes, a young, bespectacled man with white hair came strolling out calmly towards them. He had a smile on his face and a small piece of paper in his hands.

"Is it time to finally get this thing started, Kabuto?" Shikamaru asked lazily.

"You know better than to address me directly, grunt," he said calmly, yet with a cold look in his eyes. "It's 'sir' when you respond to your superiors, understand?"

"Troublesome..." he mumbled under his breath. His companion next to him looked about ready to wet himself.

"What was that?"

"I said 'Yes, _sir,_'" with emphasis on the last word.

Kabuto looked amused. "You best watch yourself, Shika-kun. We wouldn't want something bad to happen to you only a week after getting this job."

"Tch..."

Naruto thought he recognized that lazy, pineapple-haired man. He used to work as Tsunade's secretary a few years before Sakura got the job. He had never questioned as to why she was suddenly there and not him, but at least now he knew. The other man, this 'Kabuto', however, he didn't know. He adjusted himself as quietly as he could and listened in more.

"On to business," the white haired man said. He held the small parchment up. "We have orders to begin phase two of Lord Orochimaru's plan as soon as dawn breaks. Make sure not to let the old man out of your sight. Kami help you if something goes wrong."

"Y-yes, sir," Chouji uttered.

"Be sure to bring the old man to the manor no later than noon. Have a nice night, boys." He turned and walked out of the clearing, not before giving them a smug look and winking at the defiant Shikamaru.

"Jerk," he muttered under his breath. "First chance we get, we're out of here. You got that, Chouji?"

His partner nodded absentmindedly. "Y-yeah. The sooner, the better."

"Troublesome," he sighed.

Naruto was mulling over what he had just heard. Something was going on at the manor tomorrow morning, and it involved whatever, or whoever, was in that small shack. This much he knew. It didn't sit well with him. Now he was certain. This 'Orochimaru' guy and that Itachi prick were up to something, and that could only mean one thing: Hinata and Sasuke were both in danger.

"I've gotta go back and tell them," he whispered to himself.

"I don't think so," a voice said in his ear. Naruto's eyes widened, and before he could even grasp at his swords handle, a stabbing pain shot into his neck, and then darkness.

* * *

Shikamaru heard the disturbance in the bushes just a few feet from where he and Chouji were standing. He grasped the handle of his dagger and pressed his finger to his lips, indicating his portly friend to be quiet. He heard him gulp as he inched closer, quietly as he could, towards the sounds. 

"Shikamaru," a voice called out from where he was looking.

A puzzled look adorned his face, but he replied. "Kabu- sir?"

"Come and help me move this filthy sneak," his superior called to him.

Quickly now, the man moved into the brush and soon saw Kabuto standing over a now unconscious man with an empty syringe in hand. The man was clad in black. However, his eyes widened in shock when he saw the emblem adorned on his headband: his former company logo, the leaf.

"Is something wrong?"

Shikamaru looked up and set his face back to his usual stoic look. "No, sir. Just surprised to see someone else out here is all."

"Hmph, whatever. Tie him up and put him in the shack with the other garbage. He seems to have some ties to our current plans back at the manor." He turned to go but he then a glint captured his eye. The man's sword was half unsheathed, just lying next to it's host. "Nice sword," he said as he plucked it off the ground. "I think I'll keep it as a souvenir."

Shikamaru looked on with disgust, but held his tongue. "At once, sir. Chouji, come give me a hand!" he yelled back to the clearing. Soon his friend was helping him heft up this familiar man, not paying attention to Kabuto as he left them to their dirty work. However, Shikamaru made sure that he was completely gone from earshot before he told Chouji to halt.

"What is it, Shika?" he asked in bewilderment.

"I think I know this guy," he answered him calmly. "Take a look at his headband."

Chouji saw where his finger was pointing and let out a small gasp. "That's the same emblem you have on your armband," he said as he looked now from Shikamaru's arm, to the unconscious man's head.

"I know I've seen him before, I just can't remember his name."

Chouji laughed at the irony behind that statement. "You mean the self-proclaimed 'genius' can't remember something? Hell must celebrating Christmas right now."

"Troublesome. First of all, I never 'proclaimed' anything, you just assumed and went from there. Secondly, I don't think of myself as a genius. I mean, if I were that smart, do you think I'd let you talk me into buying lunch all the time?"

"Hm, you do make valid points," Chouji smiled.

"Just shut up and help me move him inside. We'll figure out what to do when he wakes up."

"What do you mean? You're not thinking of disobeying orders, are you?"

"We shouldn't even be here in the first place. From the moment we took this job we both knew we wouldn't be able to stand by and let innocent people get hurt. In fact, if I had it my way, I'd have run off with my tail between my legs the moment I saw how insane Orochimaru was."

"You know, sometimes I can't figure out which of us is the bigger coward," Chouji said glumly.

"We'll think about that later. Come on."

He just couldn't believe his luck. Once again he was stuck doing something he damn well didn't want to do. This night was just getting more and more troublesome.

* * *

Damn that Sasuke! Who did he think he was? How could he just do something so... so... CRUEL!? Oh, his poor little book. He hoped that it would be alright. There were so many questions left unanswered! Would Ando ever get that last bra clasp off? Would Saiya scream and moan in pleasure? Or would it all just be a huge disappointment for her? Would they even find a bed, or will they just lay right where they were? And most importantly of all... 

"_Who's that?"_ Kakashi asked himself.

Up ahead he saw a young man with glasses and white hair exit the dense woods just ahead of him. Apparently he hadn't noticed the guardian closing in on him faster and faster. However, a glint of steel caught his eye as he saw the man admiring a blade. It looked so familiar... Then it donned on him.

"Naruto...," he said to himself.

* * *

He couldn't believe his luck! The craftsmanship on the blade was top-notch. It was perfectly balanced, the handle felt smooth to the touch, yet just rough enough to handle without fear of losing one's grip. Yes, this would make the perfect gift to Lord Orochimaru, Kabuto thought. 

"I'll be taking that," said a cool voice from behind him.

"Who the fu-" _**Wham!

* * *

**_

The satisfying sound of crunching glass and broken cartilage rang in his ears as Kakashi watched the man's body collapse to the grass. He brought his fist back to his side and knelt down besides him, a smile showing in his exposed eye.

"You know, the correct question was, 'You wouldn't hit a man with glasses?' Too bad."

Taking the sword in hand, he rushed into the awaiting forest.

* * *

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Chouji asked worriedly. 

"I think so," Shikamaru answered.

They were inside the small hut now, watching carefully for signs of movement for either of the victims.

"Maybe we should throw water on them?" his friend suggested.

"It won't work, they're drugged. We have no choice but to wait for it to wear off."

"But that could be until morning at least. Kabuto will be back by then!"

"Calm down, Chouji. We'll think of something." However, even he himself wasn't to sure about that. What else could they do but wait? This whole thing was just so troublesome.

"Is anybody home?" A voice said from the doorway.

Instantly both men were on their feet, weapons out and pointing them at the newcomer.

"And who might you be?" Shikamaru asked. He mentally cursed himself for letting his hand shake slightly.

"Me? Why, just someone looking for his lost baggage. And I think I've found it," he said pointing at the young blond on the floor.

Shikamaru saw the sword in his hand, but still didn't let his guard down.

"Are you a friend of his?"

"Well I wouldn't say 'friend.' But I know him, yes. I'm under orders to bring him back to the Uchiha estate."

"You mean that big manor near here, right?"

"Why, yes. That very one," he said as his eye crinkled closed, as if smiling.

"I see..." the genius said. After a moment, he lowered his weapon and urged Chouji to do the same. Reluctantly, his ax returned to his side. "We're not your enemies. In fact I think I know this guy myself," Shikamaru continued.

"And why should I believe you?" Kakashi asked in genuine curiosity. He even cocked his head to the side.

"This," he answered as he untied his armband and tossed it to the body guard.

"The logo of his company, huh?"

They watched him as he stood looking over to Naruto's head, then the band in his hand, and back to the two in front of him,as if contemplating whether or not they were telling the truth.

"Hm..." They watched him with baited breaths. "All right, then. I believe you."

They exhaled sharply and smiled at him. "Thanks," Shika said. "I'm Shikamaru, and this here," he pointed his thumb behind him, "is my best bud, Chouji."

"Hatake Kakashi," the man said and extended his arm. They both shook it, relieved. "Now, I really should take Naruto here and head back."

"Naruto... ah yeah, now I remember. Seemed like a decent guy from what I remember. Never said much though," the spiky haired man said.

"Yes, that's him alright," Kakashi said. "I've only known him about a day or so myself, so I can't really say much."

"Well it's not like there's much to say about him anyway."

"I think I'm going to disagree with you there. There might be more to him than we think. At least, the young Hyuuga heir thinks so."

"Hyuuga?" This piqued Shikamaru's interest. "Back at the estate?"

"Mm. She is very worried about him, which is why I think I should hurry now."

"Hang on, I think you should take him, too."

Kakashi looked to where Shikamaru was pointing. Lying against the wall in the shadows was an older man. But what was interesting about him was his hair, complexion, and kimono.

"He's a Hyuuga,"Kakashi stated.

"Yes, at least that's what we heard. He was kidnapped a few night ago from what I understand. But we only just joined this merry little band and don't plan on staying any longer."

"He hasn't eaten in days," Chouji piped in sadly.

Kakashi walked to the man and knelt down. He lifted his eyelid up and confirmed his statement. His white eye stared back at him blankly, and somewhat glazed over. His breathing was shallow but otherwise steady, and he certainly looked worse for wear. His white kimono was now stained with all forms of dirt and torn in some places as well. Kakashi looked to his hand protruding from the ropes that bound him. His left ring finger, he saw, had an indentation on and around the base, as if something had been there for years prior only until recently. Kakashi's eye widened in realization.

"We have to hurry back," his panicked voice said to them.

* * *

**I had the urge to include Shikamaru and Chouji, lol (Shikamaru just kicks ass, he was a given). I hope it's not too wierd just including them like that, I wasn't even planning to at all, to be honest. However, I thought about a review I had read a while back that asked if I was going to include any other characters. Well there's your answer. Did they fit in well enough? I really like how it turned out but I'd like to know what you all think. Anyway, the next chapter will be where everything comes to together (hopefully). I'll update soon, I promise. 'Til next time.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11, as promised. Please note that the first two sections take place during chapter 10. Enjoy.**

* * *

Hinata stood in front of the huge, black marble desk in heavy anticipation. It was as if Itachi had not even noticed they were in the room, as he was still sitting and looking over some documents. Next to her, Sasuke was getting annoyed at the fact that his own brother would keep people waiting, especially his own guests. Neji, too, it seemed, agreed with him silently. 

He cleared his throat. "You summoned us, brother?"

The Uchiha clan head looked up from his paperwork and gave a slight nod. He rose and walked around to the front of the desk, leaning back on it ever so slightly. His gaze pierced into Hinata's for a moment, then to the two next to her.

"I did," he said matter-of-factly. "I wish to discuss preparations for the wedding."

Hinata's heart skipped a beat at the proclamation. She knew this would come soon or later, but she didn't think this soon. It had only been a day since their arrival and already he was rushing the whole process.

Sasuke looked at his brother and sighed. "As I had guessed..."

Itachi looked at them questioningly. "You seem to be disappointed."

"Of course I am," his little brother exclaimed. "You know as well as I that it was never my wish to be forced into this."

"Indeed I do, but seeing as you are much closer to her in age, it was only natural to suggest you, rather than myself."

"Yes, I'm very well aware of that. However, I propose that we think of other options to strengthen the ties between our two clans , other than rushing into this ridiculous marriage."

"And just what other options were you thinking of, little brother?"

Sasuke hesitated. In all of their planning to find a way out of the wedlock, they had never even begun to think of other viable ways to substitute it. "I... don't know."

"As I thought," Itachi said with a hint of smugness. He turned to Hinata. "And you, Hyuuga-sama? What are your thoughts on this?"

Before Hinata could answer, Neji interjected. "She will, of course, accept Sasuke-sama's hand in marriage. Why else would we have come all this way?"

"A-actually," she said a little forcefully towards Neji, "I agree with Sasuke-san. I a-also do not wish to be given to another clan just because my own deems it necessary."

"But Hinata-sama, the future of our clan-"

"Enough, Neji," she said calmly. He reluctantly agreed, not even tying to mask his frustration.

Itachi looked at her with those blood-red eyes, face never changing, as if analyzing her every feature in hopes of finding a hint of falsehood to her previous claim. He watched as she looked down to her feet, unable to stand up to the force of his stare. She was weak, he decided. Much to weak to be worthy of uniting their clans. The perfect little doll to do whatever he desired with a tug of a string. His brother, however, he thought as he shifted his gaze to him, would be a much tougher nut to crack. His stare met his with equal intensity, never backing down, never showing a hint of fear, as if daring Itachi to make him obey. But there was nothing to doubt. In the end, they both would.

"It matters not what either of you think," he said finally. "The ceremony will be held tomorrow morning at noon. See to it that you both attend."

"And what if," Sasuke challenged angrily, "we refuse?"

Itachi smirked slightly in amusement. "It would be in the best interest of Miss Hyuuga."

"Wh-what?" she asked dumbfounded.

Without replying, Itachi reached into his pocket and tossed a small, circular object to Sasuke. The man in question looked at it, eyes widening in wonder. It was a ring, and very beautiful at that. It was made of sterling silver, not a hint of tarnish to be found on it, and would have looked very plain had there not been a glittering opal attached to it. It seemed to radiate, even if there was no light present, as if it had been polished every morning and evening carefully without fail. Upon further examination, he discovered an engraving inside of the band, the faint figures of the word "Hyuuga" looking back at him.

He heard Hinata gasp next to him, her hands flying to her mouth and eyes wide in fear. Neji grabbed the ring from his fingers and looked at Itachi menacingly.

"Where did you get this!?"

The Uchiha looked on in continued amusement. "I should think that you know exactly where."

"Father," Hinata gasped. "Is he safe? Please, tell me," she pleaded.

"He is safe until I say otherwise. As I said, see to it that you both attend tomorrow. The ceremony will be held in the gardens."

"Brother, just what the hell is going on!? Why would you do such a thing? We have nothing to gain from any of this," Sasuke exclaimed.

"We have everything to gain," he answered in his calm voice. "As the last of the Uchiha, you should know more than anyone."

"So you would risk her father for the revival of our clan? Surely there is another way?"

"No, brother, there is no other way. It is precisely that form of thinking that is holding us back. I'll not let the future of our clan be in the hands of some common whore you pick up off the streets. The Hyuuga are the only clan with enough influence worthy enough to aid us. The fact that their clan heir is a female only makes our goal that much closer."

"Madness," Sasuke spewed. "Do you really think that the entire Hyuuga clan would bow to your will after knowing what you did?"

Itachi looked at him in mock disappointment. He truly was his father's son, and just as clueless. "That, ototo, is what makes Miss Hyuuga so much more appealing to me."

"What?" Hinata whispered.

"The conversation shall end here. Retire to your rooms and prepare for tomorrow," Itachi said as he sat behind the desk again.

Sasuke and Neji both looked at him in disgust, but had no choice but to turn away, with Hinata sobbing quietly in tow.

* * *

He watched from the dark corner in the room as they left, highly amused at Itachi's antics. What wonderful partners they make. 

"Orochimaru," the man called from his seat.

"Itachi-kun," he responded as he made to stand next to him.

"We begin phase two."

Orochimaru grinned wickedly at the news. "About time. Consider it done."

"One more thing," Itachi called to him as he made for the door. "Failure means death."

He grinned once again. He had to admit, he admired the man's guts. It wasn't every day that he was threatened so casually.

* * *

"Ugh," he grunted. "Why do... I have to... carry him?" 

"Because, Chouji," Shikamaru smirked, "you're bigger and stronger than I am."

Chouji sighed. "You know, for someone who hasn't eaten in days, he sure weighs a ton!"

"Well, maybe you're just tired from the lack of food," he suggested.

"Yeah -huff-, maybe."

Shikamaru looked ahead to their other companion. Kakashi had taken up the unconscious Naruto on his back, and had ask Chouji do the same with the old Hyuuga while Shikamaru stood guard with his weapon out. It was an hour ago that they left the clearing, and it was going much to slow at this pace for his liking.

"Hey, Kakashi, how much longer do you think we have at this pace?"

Kakashi continued to looked ahead through the trees when he answered. "Oh, I don't know. Before morning, perhaps. We'll be out of the forest before then for sure."

"Troublesome. And why, exactly, are Chouji and I coming along?"

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "Why, because I'm forcing you to. I certainly can't carry the both of them by myself."

"Of course...," he sighed dejectedly. "You know, for someone in a rush, you sure are taking it in stride," he pointed out.

"Indeed I am. Haste makes waste, as they say. And I think it would be wise to wait for Naruto to wake up. We could certainly use his skills to our advantage should the need arise."

"Well I hope his skills involve cooking," Chouji put in. "I'm starving."

"For crying out loud," Shikamaru cried as he slapped his hand to his head. "Why is it always food with you?"

"You try carrying something, then. It's enough to build up an appetite." As if to further prove his point, a loud rumbling noise arose from his belly.

"I think I'll pass. It's much to troublesome anyway."

"Troublesome indeed," Kakashi agreed. "Oh! Would you look at that."

"What is it," Chouji asked.

"I can see the trees beginning to thin. I think we're almost out of here."

"About damn time," Shikamaru said in relief.

A few minutes later they had crossed out into the fresh air of the field, noting the manor out in the distance, although it seemed so small from where they stood.

"It's so far away..." Chouji said disappointedly.

"From one hell to another," Shikamaru agreed.

"Ohhhh..." came a groan from their right.

"Wh-what was that?" Chouji asked in alarm.

"Heck if I know," replied his spiky haired companion, who was looking around with his weapon raised.

"Oh don't mind him," Kakashi said off-handedly. They watched as he walked over to a bush in the direction of the moan. He reached underneath it and drug out the body of a familiar man.

"It's only my four-eyed friend," he smiled. "You see, ah, my fist collided with his face. Accidentally, of course. But I'm afraid I broke his glasses..." He looked depressed.

Shikamaru took a closer look. "Hey, wait a minute," he exclaimed upon recognition. "It's Kabuto. Hey Chouji, come check it out."

Chouji stepped beside him and laughed. "Ha, well looky here."

"Boy, Kakashi, you sure don't pull any punches, do you?" Shika said to him in awe.

"Stop, you're embarrassing me." He scratched the back of his head, brushing it against Naruto's cheek a little bit. Kabuto's face did certainly look worse for wear. "You know him?"

"We sure do. Never met a bigger ass. How the mighty have fallen, right Chouji?"

He nodded in agreement, still looking like a giddy child.

"We were forced to work under him."

"Oh? Well in that case, I think it's about time he wake up from his nap," Kakashi said. He gently laid Naruto down on the grass and pulled out his water canteen. Without hesitating, he poured the contents over Kabuto's face. Immediately, the man sputtered and choked as he sat up and wiped his face.

"What the hell!?" he cried.

"Good morning," Kakashi said happily. "Did you sleep well? I didn't wake you, did I?"

"What are you... what happened?" he asked in confusion.

"That's not important right now. I want you to tell me what's going on at the mansion tomorrow."

"And what if I don't," he asked in defiance.

"I slit your throat and leave you to die," Shikamaru said. To prove his point, he took his dagger and pressed it firmly against Kabuto's neck. A faint trickle of blood appeared from the side.

"You dirty traitors."

"You best watch yourself, Kabuto. We don't want something happening to you only a minute after waking," the lazy man smirked.

The man growled back at him, but looked on in defeat.

"Now, then," resumed the body guard, "I don't believe you answered my question."

"..."

"Don't make this harder on yourself," Shikamaru said quietly to him, pressing the knife even further into his skin.

He glared at him. "...We have plans to force the young Uchiha and Hyuuga to marry. Then kill the old man in front of them."

"So I was right," Kakashi said. "He is Hyuuga Hiashi."

"...Correct. It's too late, though. There's no way you'll stop it."

"And what makes you say that?"

Kabuto smirked. "My Lord has his ways. You may reach the manor, but you will never make it out alive."

"Cocky, aren't we?" Shikamaru said. Chouji, however, looked nervous.

"Now, now, Shikamaru, play nice. It's time for his nap now."

Now it was Shikamaru's turn to smirk. "Heh, alright."

"Wait, wha-" _**Thunk!**_

"Poor bastard never had a chance," Chouji said.

Kakashi smiled as he shook his hand a bit from the contact. "I think I may have overdone it."

"You think? I think you may have cracked his skull in."

"Perhaps. Let's tie him up and hurry back. There's not much time."

* * *

Hinata was panicked. She worriedly paced the room as Sasuke and Neji sat and thought of a plan, Tenten standing with her in hopes of calming her down. They had met her outside of her room, and she had refused to leave Hinata alone in that state. It was hopeless, though, thought Hinata. She knew it. How could they ever think of anything in time? And they had no clue where her father was, or if he was even alive. They couldn't very well trust Itachi's word, after seeing just what he was capable of. And she thought he was such a nice man... Naruto was right all along. They should have never trusted him. Oh, Naruto... She wished so badly that he was here right now. She knew that he would be able to figure out what to do. 

"Hinata-sama," Neji said tiredly. "Please calm yourself. You will only make matters worse by worrying."

"How can I not worry, Nii-san? Father is in danger and I am powerless to save him."

"He's right, Hinata," voiced Tenten. "Please sit down and have a drink of water. You're starting to scare us."

"B-but-"

"They are right, Hinata. We'll think of something, but right now you need to sit and calm yourself. It's very distracting to come up with a plan when you're pacing back and forth," Sasuke added.

"...Alright," she sighed in defeat. Honestly, she wondered, how could they be so calm? Couldn't they see that they were wasting time just sitting here? But no matter how hard she tried to deny it, she knew they were right. She let her mind wander back to Itachi. Just how was she so important to his plans?

"Sasuke," Neji suddenly spoke.

"Hm?"

"May I speak to you outside for a moment?" he asked.

"Oh, sure," he responded, just a tad confused. "Excuse us for a moment," he said to the two women.

Neji was already out the door as he turned to follow him. Quietly, he closed the door behind him and waited for the Hyuuga to speak.

"I would like to know your thoughts on what Itachi said in regard to Hinata," he said.

"You mean her importance?"

"Hai. I have a theory but I would like to know what you have to say on the matter."

"Well, if I had to guess... I could see in his eyes, when he looks at Hinata. He thinks her to be weak. Someone not worth a second glance, a broken woman after the life she's had to live. Someone very easy to manipulate."

"Indeed. As I thought. If that is true, then I have no reason to believe that Hyuuga-sama will remain unharmed. In fact, I think it would be in Itachi's best interest were he to... disappear entirely."

Sasuke looked at him in horror. "What? Certainly you don't believe that my brother would be so heartless?"

"Perhaps not. However, I would think it safe to assume that as a possibility."

"Then, what do you propose we do? And what of Hinata? Surely we shouldn't tell her?"

Neji shook his head. "No, it is in her best interest that we keep this to ourselves. She does not need to worry anymore that necessary. In the mean time, I suggest we formulate a plan with your body guard."

"Kakashi? Why him?"

"If he is as good at his job as you insinuate, then he would be vital to our plans."

Sasuke looked back at him sheepishly. "I, ahm... I sent him away on an errand, actually."

Neji cocked his eyebrow. "An errand? Of what kind?"

He scratched the back of his head. "To retrieve Naruto."

* * *

**Well now, that certainly was an informative chapter. I'm actually quite surprised no one was able to guess who the mysterious Hyuuga was. Well, now you know. Let me know how terrible that chapter was with a review ;) I'll update soon. 'Til next time.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note on the bottom. Please enjoy.**

* * *

It was dark. Everywhere he looked, he saw nothing but blackness: suffocating; engulfing; consuming him. He ran, as fast and hard as he could, to no avail. Everything looked the same. It was as if he was running in place for all the effort he put in it. But that didn't matter. He'd wander for as long as it took. He _had_ to get back, to save them, to save her. If he looked hard enough he could just make out her radiant form in the distance.

She was smiling at him.

Why? After all that he said, why the hell would she still _smile_ at him? Kami, she was so infuriating! Wasn't it enough that he had already hurt her? Now she was standing there smiling, as if mocking him for all the wrong he did. As if it didn't even matter to her. As if he could do no wrong in her eyes. He didn't deserve it... he didn't deserve her forgiveness, her kindness. Hell, he didn't even deserve _her_.

But still he ran. His legs were burning, his muscles cramping. He had to get to her, he just had to. If only to beg for her forgiveness like he was supposed to. She wasn't supposed to be so understanding without him even earning it. Dammit, he would try. She deserved as much. It was a wonder that she could even put up with his presence in the first place. There was no way in hell that she would have even the slightest bit of love for him.

Love?

No, that was much too strong a word for someone like him. Maybe 'extreme like' would fit better. Even then, that was exaggerating it. No one could love someone as cold and worthless as him. They were complete opposites. She was kind and valued life; he was cruel and sought to end the lives of others, all for a bit of gold. Where she was full of compassion, he was full of spite. Oh, how foolish he could be. Even now, after coming to terms with these facts, he still fought them. Still he ran, and still she waited for him, now with open arms, offering words of encouragement.

Yet, he heard nothing. Naruto could hear himself shout her name. But it was for naught. He saw her mouth move, yet no sound seemed to penetrate the dense cloud of darkness. He shouted her name again, louder this time, desperate for her to hear. His heart pounded in his ears, sweat plastered his golden locks to his forehead. So close... He was so very close now.

The ground seemed to give way, and he felt himself falling, swallowed by the shadows. Still, she smiled down at him. "Naruto...," he heard her say this time. "Naruto... Naruto..."

* * *

"Naruto? Naruto, can you hear me?"

Slowly, the mercenary opened his eyes. His vision was cloudy, and he could make out the blurry forms of three people standing over him.

"I think he's coming to," a vaguely familiar voice said.

"Can you understand me, Naruto? Quick, how many fingers am I holding up?" That could only be Kakashi.

Naruto blinked rapidly a few times and saw that the silver-haired man was holding up his hand mere inches from his nose.

"Get that out of my face," he said with an irritated, raspy voice. He slapped the hand away and sat up with great effort. It was as if his body was made of lead.

"No, the answer was three, but close enough," Kakashi smiled. "How are you feeling? You seemed to be having a hell of a nightmare."

The groggy man looked at him confused. He thought for a second, trying to recall his dream. Alas, he just couldn't seem to remember.

"I'm fine. It was nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing," a voice said to his right. Looking up, he saw a pine-apple haired man watching him lazily. "You were thrashing about pretty badly," he finished.

"Yeah, you were all sweaty and looked really upset," Shikamaru's portly comrade chimed in.

"Whatever," Naruto answered in annoyance. He took the time to look around and noticed that they were outside. It was dark now and they were out of the woods. "Where are we?" he asked.

Kakashi spoke up. "On our way back to the estate. It's a good thing you woke up when you did. I think you'll be very surprised to know what information we have."

"And that is?"

"Ah, well...," He pointed behind Naruto. "That might explain a few things."

The young man turned his head to where the guardian was pointing and cocked an eyebrow. An older looking Hyuuga was lying on the grass a few feet away, deep in slumber. His robes were very tattered and filthy, and he seemed very malnourished. He didn't remember seeing this man with the caravan before.

"Who's he?" he inquired.

"I have every reason to believe that this is _the_ Hyuuga Hiashi," Kakashi stated calmly.

This time both eyebrows went up. "What makes you think that?"

"Take a look at his left hand," Shikamaru answered, approaching the unconscious man and hold up his arm for Naruto to get a better look. "See the indentation on his ring finger? Usually the head, and only the head, of the clan wears the clan ring there."

"If that's the case, then what's he doing out here?"

"Apparently he is to be used as incentive to force Hinata and Sasuke to wed tomorrow," Kakashi answered.

Naruto's alarm went off in his head. _So soon?_ "Tomorrow? I knew that bastard was no good," he said angrily. He forced his body to stand, and it was all he could to keep erect. He cursed inwardly. "We have to get back before she... before they go through with it."

"Are you sure you're going to be able to walk in that condition? It was a pretty strong sedative that was injected into you."

"I've felt worse, Kakashi," he grunted. The man didn't look convinced.

"If you insist... ah! I believe this belongs to you," he said holding out a sword.

Naruto was curious, but didn't ask questions. There was no time to stall and right now they had to get moving. As soon as he finished strapping it to his waist, he forced his feet forward and left the others to stare at his back.

"Doesn't waste any time, does he?" Shikamaru asked incredulously.

"Aw man, I'm so hungry! Can't was stop to rest for a while?" Chouji complained.

"Tell that to him," his friend said pointing to Naruto's retreating figure.

Kakashi stood contemplating the two before him. They really did seem tired, and since Naruto was awake, they probably would only slow them down. Perhaps it was best if he granted their wish.

"Actually, maybe you two could rest for a while. You've done enough for now, I think."

Shikamaru eyed him suspiciously. "What are you up to?"

Chouji looked curiously between the two. Kakashi cleared his throat. "Well, I was thinking maybe you two could wait here with Hyuuga-sama for a while and catch up to us at the estate later."

"That so? You sure you wanna trust us with something like that? For all you know we could just high-tail it outta here the minute you turn your back."

The masked-man's eye closed, as if smiling. "You could, but you won't."

The dark haired youth gazed at him in amusement. "What makes you so sure?"

"Because I trust you two."

With that, he turned and ran to catch up with the feisty blonde, leaving them very confused.

"Tch, troublesome..."

* * *

**Well, long time no see. I'm very sorry for leaving you guys hanging for so long, and that this was so short as well. Really I don't have much of an excuse, but a lot of things seemed to conspire against me that didn't want me to update it. I seriously had most of this chapter done before, but Lo and behold, my hard drive decided to crap out on me yet again. Pile on top of that having to find a new job and being able to find time to do anything, well you can guess how that went. Honestly, I barely had time to get that new one-shot out. It took me a week to type 2,500 or so words, and thats not even as long as my other one-shots. So please bear with me. Thank you guys so much for putting up with me.**

**I promise to try and update as soon as I can from now on. I'll take the time to dedicate at least 30 minutes every day to writing if I have to. This thing will have an ending, and it's coming pretty close I think. I refuse to quit on this, especially when it's so close to completion. Again, thanks a lot for reading and sticking with this. As usual, please let me know what you guys think.**


	13. Chapter 13

**As promised.****

* * *

**The rays of dawn seeped slowly into the room and she sat contemplating the coming day, and last night's revelations. Her friends had left her a couple of hours after Neji and Sasuke returned from the hallway. They hadn't said what it was that they talked about, but it didn't matter. The only thing Hinata cared about was the safety of her father, and of Naruto's return. All night she had been up, wondering what awful things her father was going through, and wondering if 'they' were taking care of him. She thought of Naruto, mostly that perhaps he wouldn't want to come back, that he really didn't care for her at all and finally realized it. He was likely hundreds of miles away by now anyway. It wouldn't surprise her, especially after what she had said to him.

But she missed him so much, it hurt.

The troubled girl still fiddled with the pouch she had given him, filled with his payment. Her eyes were still sticky and red from her endless crying for the past few hours, finally unable to shed another tear. She was filled with so much regret at having not allowed him a chance to explain himself. His eyes were filled with so much remorse that seemed only to transfer to her now, and yet still she had pushed him away. She had convinced herself that there was no way he could ever have feelings for someone as unworthy as her, and his outburst on the bridge only proved it. She was deaf to his attempts to make amends, too hurt to see that he was truly sincere in them. It had only made her hurt more by rejecting him.

And now she felt even worse for thinking only of Naruto, too engrossed in her infatuation to even worry about her father. She was such a horrible person... Perhaps she deserved every bit of pain coming her way.

"Please be all right," she said to the room. Though it was unsure to her which of the two she was talking about. She'd like to think both.

A sudden knock permeated through the room, swift and urgent it seemed. She sniffed and wiped the remainder of the moisture on her face, straightening out her kimono before standing and making her way to the door. On the other side was a very glum looking Neji.

"Hinata-sama, I am sorry to disturb you so early." He bowed. "However, I am to inform you that there has been a change of plans."

"Nani?" she asked with slightly widened eyes. "What kind of changes?"

Neji cleared his throat nervously. "It seems that Itachi-san has moved the wedding to an earlier hour."

Hinata gasped, her hand flying to her mouth and her eyes brimming with new-born tears. "H-how soon?" she asked quietly.

Her cousin clenched his fists and calmly looked down, eyes closed. "...Within the hour."

"No," she whispered in shock. It was all she could to keep herself standing, as her legs seemed to choose this time to nearly give out.

"I... it cannot be helped. Kakashi-san has yet to return from his... mission," he said with slight disdain. "There is nothing we can do that would not risk Hiashi-sama's life."

The young girl had closed her eyes, nodding in defeat. "I suppose I sh-should get ready, then. Could you please request Tenten-chan to aid me?"

"Of course, Hinata-sama." His gazed lingered on her helpless form for a moment, wishing to the heavens that there was someway to help his cousin. Dejectedly, he sighed and turned to find Tenten.

* * *

Sasuke stood on the balcony of his room, overlooking the gardens. It was an unusually cold morning, a slight fog blanketing the flora below with it's moisture. It seemed to reflect the mood he felt at present. He had yet to receive word from his bodyguard, and all hope seemed to be sucked from within him.

"Kakashi, where are you?" he asked in frustration. Really, it shouldn't have taken this long to find Naruto. He could only guess that something had happened that was delaying him, or worse.

A knock sounded from his door.

"Enter," he stated, not looking away from the distant horizon. He heard the guest's footsteps stop a bit behind him, never speaking.

"Is there something I could help you with, brother?" His voice held a slight edge of venom to it.

"The ceremony will be moved to within the hour," his brother stoically said.

In a flash Sasuke turned to face him, a surprised confusion etched in his features. "Nani!?"

"I'll not repeat myself."

"But why!? Is noon not soon enough for you? Must you really be in such haste to ruin our lives?" he shouted angrily.

"Be in the gardens in thirty minutes. I need not explain the consequences, should you disobey," he proclaimed whilst turning to leave.

"Brother, why are you doing this? What spurred you to change so much?" The Uchiha was desperate to understand his once beloved brother's motives.

"Thirty minutes," he reconfirmed before shutting the door behind him.

Sasuke hung his head, clenching his fists helplessly at his sides. "Please, Kakashi... hurry."

* * *

His head was splitting, it seemed. The pain was almost unbearably so, not only in his skull, but his entire body screamed out in agony. It took great effort just to open his eyes, almost as if sealed shut from the crust that had formed from his long sleep. He could see the sun rising in the sky, and wondered why he was outside to begin with. The smell of cooked meat wafted into his nose, causing his mouth to water hungrily. He groaned at his failed attempt to sit up, realizing that he just didn't have enough strength.

"Looks like the old man's finally awake," a young man with a strange haircut said.

"About time, too. I was worried that he may never get up," the plump one next to him said.

"What? Who...?" Hiashi asked wearily.

"Take it easy. I'm Shikamaru, and this here's Chouji. You've been out cold for a few days now."

"Is that so...?" the old man croaked. "Water..."

"Oh, right," Chouji exclaimed, fumbling for his canteen. "Easy there," he said while holding up the Hyuuga's head. He drank deeply, draining its contents easily.

"Arigato..."

"Hey, no problem. You hungry?" The portly man held out a stick with a bit of rabbit meat skewered onto it.

"Let me help you up," Shikamaru offered. He carefully helped the feeble man into a sitting position, earning a few pained expression as he did.

"My thanks," he said, reaching for the previously offered food.

The two men watched him devour the meat at seemingly light-speed. If it weren't for the present circumstances, normally Hiashi would have been a bit more sophisticated. However, manners weren't really at the top of his priorities at the moment.

"Where am I?" he asked after finishing his meal.

"Very near to the Fire-Sound border," Shikamaru answered. "You can see the Uchiha estate on the horizon there to the south."

"Uchiha?" he asked in alarm. "What of my daughter? Do you know?"

"Ano, there's plans to have the wedding later today," Chouji offered. "But Naruto and Kakashi have already gone ahead to stop it."

"Who?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, from Konoha Mercenary Services, and Hatake Kakashi, under the employ of the Uchiha if I remember right," Shikamaru relinquished.

Hiashi's eyes widened at the names, the former in particular. "Uzumaki, you say? Of the former Uzumaki clan?"

"There's a clan?"

"Used to be, Chouji. At least that's what I'm assuming from his use of words."

"So there was a survivor," Hiashi said quietly, more to himself. He brought his hands up and wiped them stressfully down his face. "Do you know how I came to be here? I cannot seem to remember being taken."

"Uh... we kinda had a hand in that," the spiky-haired man said nervously. "We were under orders of Orochimaru to kidnap and bring you to a shack near here. We decided we didn't want to be involved anymore and had some help from Kakashi to get you out of there."

"How the mighty have fallen," the Hyuuga said after a moment. "To think my guards could be so incompetent."

"I could only guess that you're to be used as incentive to make sure the wedding went off without a hitch," Shikamaru continued.

"We must stop it. I cannot allow this charade to continue!" Hiashi shouted. "Take me to them."

"Ano, do you think you should be walking around right now? The drug may still be affecting you."

"There's no time for that. Come. Help me to stand," he ordered them.

"Troublesome old geezer... C'mon Chouji, you heard him."

Together the two hefted the old man to his feet. Supporting him at the shoulders, they slowly made their way to the distant complex. _"Forgive me, Hinata..."_

* * *

They stood side by side at the makeshift altar. The fog had died down now at the full ascension of the sun, fearful of its piercing rays. Hinata stood in a beautiful ceremonial kimono, made of the finest silk and dyed a dark shade of violet. Sasuke stood next to her, dressed, too, in a kimono, his the color of midnight, the emblem of his clan adorning the back.

The Hyuuga that accompanied the caravan stood seated in the chairs arranged in rows, blissfully oblivious of the motives that drove the wedding forward. Hinata had specifically asked that they not be informed, so as not to cause a panic. The women amongst them were silently crying, happy for their young princess, the males looking on in awe, offering their silent congratulations.

Itachi stood tall before them, eying the two in front of him, analyzing, daring them to defy him. He looked to the Hyuuga girl and smirked inwardly. She was shaking, tears brimming in her eyes, her hands wringing each other nervously. A truly pathetic sight, to be sure. His brother was more composed, though still easily transparent: fists clenching at his sides, foot tapping on the grass in a steady rhythm, eyes ever defiant until the bitter end. Truly an Uchiha.

Looking past the to the trees that surrounded them, he saw the figure of Orochimaru, looking on in bored contentment, the ever present smirk adorning his features. He was out of sight of the others, his only reason for being there in case something were to go wrong.

Lifting the thick scroll in his hands, Itachi held up his hand, signaling the guests to quiet down.

"Honored guests," he started. "We are here to witness the birth of a new beginning. The coming union of Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke in sacred matrimony, and in effect the merging of the esteemed Hyuuga and Uchiha clans."

Hinata hung her head in utmost defeat. Too preoccupied in her thoughts, she had not heard the rest of what Itachi had spoken. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing did. At the end of the hour, she would be married, never to be free to love whom she chose, and never to be loved in return. She was now truly a puppet had by the strings, forced to dance at the whim of her master. She had given in to the fact that Naruto had indeed decided to return to Konoha, and that any minute now Kakashi would come back alone. She was devoid of all hope. At least, in the end, her father would be okay. If it meant that she had to live a life of sorrow, then she would accept it without a second thought.

Sasuke glance at his soon-to-be wife, and his heart nearly ripped in two. She was downcast, looking at the ground but not really seeing it. Her sadness was suffocating, reaching out to him. If only he could reach back and tell her that everything would be okay, that Naruto would be here soon and stop all of this. That her father would be fine, and she could be happy. But that wasn't the case. Really, to him it seemed that she could never be happy again, and it killed him. It wasn't him she was supposed to be marrying. She should be free to choose who to wed, not forced into this sham of a union.

Itachi's voice had become a low hum in his ears. Sasuke shook his head. It was hopeless. He was hopeless. Some friend he turned out to be. He promised Hinata that everything would be fine, yet here they were, broken promise and all. _"I am so sorry, Hinata..."_

"We have come to the point of no return. If there are any among you that wishes the union be discontinued, speak now or forever be at peace."

His blood-red eyes scanned the small crowd, satisfied that none had spoken. He smirked.

"Very well. The rings," he called to the back of the crowd. A young Hyuuga servant walked up the aisle in the center of the seats and stopped at the altar. He held out the small pillow, on which sat the two rings: the Hyuuga clan ring, the one belonging to Hinata's father, and the Uchiha clan ring, a perfect clone of the one that adorned Itachi's finger. Itachi reached for them. However, before he could so much as feel the silk of the pillow, it was knocked away, pinned to the floor by a stray arrow.

"I don't think so," a voice called from the trees. Gasps were heard as a young man, clad in black, stepped out from his hiding place. Hinata's eyes went wide with surprised delight.

"Naruto-kun!"

* * *

**Well I'll be damned. Looks like I managed to update this sooner than I thought :) So, how was it? Hiashi seemed to be a bit too intrigued about Naruto being alive... highly suspect! Heck of a cliffy, huh? No worries though, I'll update soon. You have my word this time. Please do leave me some feedback, I really enjoy reading what you guys think. As always, take care.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: No, I'm not dead. A/N at the bottom.**

* * *

The crowd looked on in awe and bewilderment at the familiar figure that had ruined a perfectly beautiful ceremony. He heard whispers of 'Where'd he come from? I thought he was dismissed,' and 'Well how rude can a person be?', but he didn't give a damn about them. Naruto kept his eyes fixed intensely on the one man behind this sick and twisted game. Itachi mimicked him with equal ferocity, the slightest hint of anger tugging at his lips.

"So," the Uchiha said as calmly as he could muster, "the lapdog returns to his pathetic master. Such loyalty to someone so undeserving."

"I'm not one to give out my trust so easily," Naruto replied. He gave the briefest of glances to his former charge before continuing, "There is no one more deserving."

Hinata's heart skipped a few beats when his eye had met hers, and even more when she had heard what he said. Never before had she been so relieved and so happy all at once. She would have honestly dashed to over to embrace him had the situation not been so dire.

"Touching." Naruto did not fail to notice Itachi's gaze move to the tree behind him for a few moments, giving the slightest of nods. Suddenly a loud cracking sound rent though the air, causing a wave of panic to the small gathering of people, some even going so far as to scream out and quickly move away from the altar towards the huge house.

As swiftly as he could, he turned to see a menacing-looking man holding his arm skywards a few feet from him. Upon closer inspection, Naruto saw that it was the metallic object in his hand that had most likely caused the din.

"You look puzzled, young Uzumaki," the stranger said. "Quite a handy little invention this is," he stated nonchalantly, admiring the object as if it were a precious gem. "Fairly modern too, I might add. It's called a 'gun,' a gift from our friends from the west." He sighed, "It can be a tad cumbersome, but it's uses far outweigh the negative aspects. For instance," he pointed the gun at the young man in front of him, "I merely point it at you and it would be the last thing you'd ever see."

Naruto held his grip firmly on the hilt of his sword as the man chuckled in amusement. He didn't need to be told what that weapon was. He knew all too well, having had to relive that nightmare of his childhood nearly every night he went to sleep. It was only natural that he'd ask around about the latest in weapons technology in hopes of knowing what it was that killed his parents. As it turns out, that particular one still hadn't been completely integrated with the Eastern populace, so it was rare for anyone other than the rich or those involved in shady activities to have one. No, he was more concerned with how casually this sadist came off to him, as if they were old friends.

"How do you know my name?" he demanded.

The man smirked, and hungry glint in his eyes. "It pains me to know that you don't remember me," he said in mock sadness. "Did I really leave so vague an impression the last time we met?"

It was like a bolt from the blue, the way it all clicked in his mind. He knew he recognized that sarcastic manner of speaking. The false sincerity. Those evil, piercing eyes. His snake-like face. The way he held himself, as if he were untouchable.

This was the man who ended Naruto's life before he had even lived it.

He was the one who taken away everything that night. The one who who murdered not only his parents, but his entire family as well. All the years of pain and suffering that Naruto had had to endure, and all this man could do was smile smugly as as he saw the realization dawn on the young swordsman's face.

"It seems you've finally realized," Orochimaru stated calmly. "I must say, I never expected to cross paths with the last Uzumaki so soon. It makes my decision of leaving you alive all the more sweeter."

"You..." Naruto gripped his sword even tighter, his rage having reached its peak. He wanted nothing more than to charge forward with reckless abandon and cut that sick smirk right off of the bastard's face, but he forced himself to stay put. It took everything he had. He couldn't risk Hinata's safety, never mind the gun that was still pointed directly between his eyes. Now that he had made himself visible, there was no telling what Itachi would do to her.

"Orochimaru," the eldest Uchiha addressed the gunman stoically. "Dispose of this nuisance quickly and be done with it. And make sure you follow through this time. If you had killed him the first time we wouldn't be in this current predicament."

The gunman smirked as he turned his eyes toward his employer. "Now, now, Itachi-kun. What fun would that be? Young Uzumaki and I were just becoming reacquainted."

Itachi glared icily back at him. "Now is not the time for your foolish games! Time is of the essence and I'll not tolerate any more of your blundering!" he scolded as his patience finally broke.

Orochimaru raised his free arm in a shrug whilst shaking his head in disappointment. He sighed audibly and replied, "Your words cut me deeply, Itachi-kun." He stopped shrugging and suddenly his face became hardened, his malice-laced eyes on Naruto once more. "I'm afraid this is where we part ways once and for all, Uzumaki-kun," he said, prepping the trigger on his firearm.

"Naruto-kun!" a distressed Hinata yelled.

"No!" Sasuke cried immediately afterward.

Naruto's eyes widened as he saw, in what seemed like slow-motion, the sinister man's finger begin to squeeze the trigger. He squeezed his eyes shut reflexively as his sword came up in front of him, as if to shield himself in vain from the oncoming blast.

Before Orochimaru could finish the act, he felt the cool edge of a knife come to rest with little restraint against his throat. There was enough pressure against it to where he felt the trickle of his blood begin to seep down his neckline.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a calm voice said from behind. "Drop your weapon, or your head becomes parted from your shoulders." Orochimaru was forced to comply, his face contorted with barely concealed rage all the while.

"Kakashi!" Sasuke cried in relief. "Late as usual, I see!"

"Sorry about that," the masked man said as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly with his free hand. "A funny thing happened on the way he-"

"You dare betray me?" an irate Itachi interrupted in a low, threatening tone.

Kakashi's visible eye became serious with his reply. "Technically, it's not you I work for. Not anymore, at least."

Itachi's eye's became slits upon hearing this. "Such insolence."

Naruto, having gathered his wits after his near-brush with death, spoke up. "It's over, Itachi. Give yourself up before you get hurt."

"You fool!" he cried. "Nothing is over unless I say!"

Without warning, he turned and grabbed a stunned Hinata. There was a flash of light glinting off of metal as he pulled a dagger from his robes and held it against the young Hyuuga's neck. He had the look of a man with nothing to lose, desperation completely taking over his eyes and face. Hinata locked panicked eyes with Naruto as a small whimper escaped her throat. She was completely at Itachi's mercy and Naruto was too far away to do anything about it.

"Bastard!" Naruto screamed indignantly.

"Brother! What is the meaning of this, have you gone insane!" Sasuke reprimanded.

"Silence!" the crazed man yelled. "You have forced my hand. You have only yourselves to blame for it coming to this point! If you had done as you were told like good little puppets, no one would have had to have gotten hurt!"

"You're a coward and a liar!" Naruto said.

Itachi's eyes widened even more at the insults. "You dare-?"

"Why don't you tell them the truth?" Naruto continued. "You kidnapped Hinata's father as an incentive to force these two to marry, and then you were going to kill him afterward! Once all was said and done, you were all set to take over the newly merged clan to rule behind the scenes, even if it meant killing your own brother too. Isn't that right, Uchiha_-sama?_"

Hinata gasped. Sasuke looked at his brother in shock. "Is that true? Brother...?" he asked in disbelief.

The elder Uchiha's face became a mask of deadly calm, almost as if he hadn't been taken over by temporary madness just seconds before. He moved his gaze from Naruto to his younger brother, scrutinizing him as if he were contemplating what to say.

"Yes, if necessary," he answered slowly and deliberately.

Sasuke's eyes widened even more at that.

Itachi continued. "What I do, I do for the sake of our clan. What I have ever done, I have done in the name of Uchiha. If we are to continue forward, sacrifices must be made, no matter the cost."

"Sacrifices..." the younger Uchiha whispered. "Sacrifices!" he now shouted, anger rising rapidly. "Even if it meant killing your own _flesh and blood_!And all in the Uchiha name? Open your eyes, brother! If you have not noticed, there is no more Uchiha clan! There has not been one ever since father died and the others left for the Western lands!"

Naruto watched in realization as these new revelations were uncovered. _"So that's why we haven't seen another Uchiha around here... But why did they...?" _

Sasuke closed his eyes and took a calming them, he spoke this time with a sadness in his voice. "...They were not happy with the way you were leading us. I at first thought that they judged you too hastily. But now... Now I can see that, perhaps they were right. If only father could see you now."

What happened next was enough to make all of those in the vicinity's blood run cold. They look to Itachi, who had his head down. His grip on Hinata's arm and his dagger grew tighter as he shook. It was gradual at first, but soon a laughter was heard growing steadily louder, until it became a skin crawling cackle. He laughed as he threw his head back, eyes closed and face looking skyward as still his bout of humor increased in volume. The young girl held in his grasp trembled, whether it be from fear or the momentum of her captor's own shaking body, they weren't sure. Naruto was becoming increasingly worried that the weapon held at her neck might cut into her by mistake with all of the erratic movement.

Finally, after what seemed like the longest few moments of Sasuke's life, his brother stopped and looked at him dead in the eyes. They held such a potent loathing in them that he took an involuntary step back, unable too look away all the while. His brother's next word were words that would forever haunt him for the rest of his days.

"Father, you say?" Itachi answered in barely a whisper. "You still believe him to make a superior clan leader? A man as weak and senseless as him? A man I _killed_ all too easily!"

Sasuke's blood froze in his veins. His mind had become stunned from his brother's words. It seemed as if all of his bodily functions ceased as his breathe caught in his throat and his knees trembled, barely able to hold his own weight.

''You...?" he choked out.

Itachi looked back at him still, face stoic. He needn't have said anything, for Sasuke knew just by looking into his eyes that the truth was there in all of it's cold fury.

"No!," he shouted as his knees finally gave way. "How could... HOW COULD YOU!" he sobbed.

He saw his brother shift his head down with him on the ground through blurry vision. It was hard to make out the expression on his face as Sasuke's tears fell unrestrained. He saw, too, Hinata, still in his brother's grasp. She was still scared, but the truth revealed in the moment had her tears falling as well, sympathy and remorse on his behalf etched in her blurred features.

"You son of a bitch!" he heard Naruto yell somewhere nearby. He sounded so far away...

Itachi ignored the insult, blood-red eyes still boring into all that was left of his family.

"It was all too easy," he finally answered in his deathly-calm voice. "But how he met his demise is neither here nor there. He was running our clan into the ground and I felt the need to stop him before the damage became irreparable."

"So you killed him!"

"Yes, Sasuke, I killed him. He was too blinded by his naivety to understand how things work in this world. A clan cannot run on doing fools' errand for a pittance. The Hyuuga never came to power by delivering medicine to the sickly. The Yamanaka do not prosper by tending gardens and selling flowers. And the Uchiha certainly did not thrive on capturing common criminals and keeping the peace. No, brother, our father had no clue on how to keep our clan afloat. Even now our coffers have dwindled to next to nothing. They would have been squandered long ago had I not taken action."

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief and stood up in anger. "Money? Is that was this was all about? You mean to tell me you became a murderer because we were going _broke_!"

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "And so you show just how naïve you are as well. You are indeed every bit father's son."

"Then pray tell me, brother, what it is I am missing?" Sasuke scoffed.

"It is simple," Itachi replied calmly. "Wealth beyond measure... That is what separates the truly powerful from the weak and unworthy. Those who have wealth, wield absolute power."

He took a step forward, Hinata forced to step with him. "That is the way this world works, and that is how our clan shall prosper, and it shall start with our assimilation with the Hyuuga."

"Now," the crazed Uchiha stated with force, "the time for talking has ended." Suddenly, he gripped his dagger and pressed it further to the Hyuuga heiress' neck and lifted her a few inches off of the ground.

"Uzumaki!" he shouted as Hinata gave off a cry of pain, blood starting to seep off of her neck.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the forceful gesture. It was clear that this psychopath had no intention of giving up easily.

"Let her go you bastard!" he shouted.

"You are not in the position to be making demands. I, however, am. Relinquish your weapons and surrender yourself to me, lest the girl bleed out like a pig at the slaughter."

Naruto scoffed. "Yeah, right, like you won't do that the first chance you get."

"You think me untrustworthy?" Itachi asked, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Would you trust a man who murdered his own father?" Naruto asked dangerously, still gripping onto his sword in impatience.

"A valid point," Itachi replied dismissively. "However, you will find you do not have much choice in the matter."

At this admission the mercenary growled in annoyance. He thought for a brief moment, before loosening his grip on the blade and lowering it to his side.

"Damn it..."

Itachi gave a genuine smirk this time. "Very good, lap dog. Now, toss the weapon aside and come forward, slowly."

"Naruto-kun, no!" Hinata shouted pleadingly. "Run! Do not worry about me anymore! You do not have to do this!"

He looked at her and locked eyes once again. Her worry and fear were plain as he did, and he could not help but feel strengthened by it. Regardless of what she said, he still had a job to do, damn it, and Uzumaki Naruto hasn't failed a mission yet.

"It's okay, Hinata," he said to her reassuringly. "Everything will be alright."

She didn't seem convinced, but said nothing more as he tossed his weapon aside and started forward. Briefly, very briefly, he caught Sasuke's eye as he walked. An understanding came between them just then. It was slight, but the young Uchiha nodded and focused on his elder brother, body tense as if he were preparing to pounce.

"Good..." Itachi whispered as the distance was closed between them. He turned his focus briefly to the two other men watching from the sidelines, still locked in a standstill. "Kakashi, release your hold on Orochimaru as well."

Kakashi's lone eye looked from Itachi to his young master questioningly. Sasuke nodded in a meaningful way, capturing his gaze. "It is okay, Kakashi. Do as he says," he said deliberately.

Slowly, as if unsure of himself, Kakashi let his arm drop to his side, his weapon now lying helplessly on the grass. Orochimaru slithered away from him, picking up his previously dropped pistol and pointing it at his former captor, smirking all the while.

It was then that Naruto reached his objective. While the Uchiha leader was distracted with his retainer, he dashed forward, grabbing the arm that was holding the dagger to Hinata's throat and wrenched it back wards as fast and fluidly as he could.

"Now, Sasuke!" he shouted to the younger Uchiha.

Without hesitation, Sasuke rushed forward and tackled both his brother and the Hyuuga, pinning them against the makeshift altar and and twisting Hinata out of his brothers grasp as quickly as he could. In the confusion, Itachi was unable to hold on to her tight enough. It wouldn't have been so bad if Naruto's fist hadn't collided with his face as soon as Sasuke and Hinata had retreated.

* * *

All the while, Kakashi made his own tackle and took down a distracted Orochimaru. His gun was sent flying through the air, landing in an area unknown as its master collided with the ground. As quickly as he could, the bodyguard tumbled off of his victim and made a dash for his kunai knife that had been discarded moments before. He leaped to his feet after having successfully acquiring his weapon. His foe got to his feet, brushing himself off almost nonchalantly. They faced each other.

"Very good, Kakashi-kun," he said appraisingly. "Let's even this match-up out a bit, shall we?" He gave a quick flick of his arm and a short blade sprang to his palm, previously concealed by his sleeve. Kakashi looked at him in confusion.

"If you had a concealed weapon all this time, why wait until now to spring it?"

Orochimaru chuckled to himself. "And where's the fun in that? I find it's a lot more interesting to gauge an opponent's strength head-on. Besides, I hardly think that you're a match for me."

"Hmm... I suppose we'll find out then, won't we?" Kakashi asked.

"We will," his opponent answered. "Come on, entertain me."

"With pleasure."

Kakashi dashed forward, kunai at the ready.

* * *

Having successfully gotten Hinata away from the freak, Naruto stood face to face with Itachi. Unable to wrest the dagger away from him, the mercenary now stood unarmed against him. The Uchiha look at him with extreme loathing.

"It seems as if the Uzumaki clan still shoves its nose where it does not belong, even after death," he said coldly.

Naruto glared at him unflinchingly, aware of the reference he was making. "You know something about that night, don't you? I'm guessing you're not gonna spit it out so easily, right?"

"It is safe to assume so, I think."

Naruto steeled himself. "Yeah, well, I'll just have to make you talk then won't I? I won't hold back, you smug prick."

Itachi smirked. "Confident for one who is unarmed. I hardly think you will be much more trouble than a child swinging his fists blindly in the dark."

"Now who's the cocky one? Why don't you just shut up and get on with it then? I'll make you regret underestimating me!"

"So be it."

They charged at each other, both ready to kill or be killed if necessary.

* * *

**A/N: Well, what can I say. It's been nearly two years since I updated this thing. I don't have any excuses other than when life hits you, it hits you hard. That, and I just didn't feel like writing much as a result. I still don't, to be honest, but it's been bugging me for a while about leaving this unfinished. So, I _will_ end up finishing this story, eventually. Believe it or not I do have an outline of how it's gonna end, and we're nearly there I believe. Anyway, I do hope that this was worth the wait. Probably not, but feel free to let me know what you think of this one, even if it's to berate me on taking forever and a day on it. I decided to end it there because I just plain suck at writing action scenes. It'll be done when it's done. I won't make any promises because we all know I usually don't end up keeping them, heh. But still, thank you to those who reviewed and faved this over the past couple of years. It really is nice to know that people out there actually like this lame attempt at writing. :) Catch you guys on the next one.**

**P.S.- I didn't really have time to go over it for grammar/spelling mistakes, so do point any out if you feel like it.**


End file.
